Lyon vs Zürich match facts

Still with ground to make up on Arsenal and Juventus after a faltering start to Group C, defending champions Lyon entertain Zürich hoping to make history as they look to become the first team to win 100 matches in women's European competition.

Their 99th victory came in the reverse fixture on 24 November, a 3-0 success in Switzerland in which Melvine Malard opened the scoring with an early header before providing both assists for a Signe Bruun double.

Lyon extended their record trophy haul in this competition to eight last season with a 3-1 final success against Barcelona in Turin and also claimed their 15th French league title in 16 seasons, finishing 11 points clear of nearest rivals Paris Saint-Germain, but were stunned by a 5-1 home loss against Arsenal on Matchday 1, their heaviest European defeat. That was the first time they had lost the opening match of a UEFA competition campaign, and they followed it up by being held 1-1 at Juventus on Matchday 2.

Zürich, who won their 23rd Swiss league title last season, are making their debut in the UEFA Women's Champions League group stage. They have never gone further than the last 16 of the competition in 13 previous attempts and were eliminated at the first qualifying stage last season. They successfully negotiated that hurdle this time round, beating Faroese side KÍ (6-0) and Apollon of Cyprus (1-0) before a 10-0 aggregate round 2 success against SFK 2000 Sarajevo of Bosnia and Herzegovina (7-0 a, 3-0 h).

The Swiss champions' first three group games have all ended in defeat. They went down 2-0 at home to Juventus and 3-1 away to Arsenal before the Matchday 3 loss in Schaffhausen against Lyon.

While Lyon cannot go through or be eliminated on Matchday 4, Zürich will be unable to finish in the top two if they lose to Lyon, or if Zürich draw and Juventus win at Arsenal.

The teams had met three times before this season, Lyon racking up big wins each time – 7-1 at home in the second qualifying round of the 2008/09 UEFA Women's Cup and 8-0 (away) and 9-0 (home) in the round of 16 en route to their 2016/17 UEFA Women's Champions League triumph.

While Lyon have never met any other Swiss sides, Zürich faced Juvisy (now Paris FC) in the 2012/13 round of 32, drawing the first leg 1-1 at home before losing 1-0 in the return. They are therefore still seeking a first success against French opponents (D1 L5).

Players to watch

Signe Bruun

The 24-year-old Danish striker sealed Lyon's first victory in Group C with two goals in the 3-0 win at Zürich on Matchday 3.

Those were Bruun's first club goals of the season on her first start in UEFA Women's Champions League Group C.

She joined Lyon in June 2021 from domestic rivals Paris Saint-Germain after three seasons in the French capital, during which she missed most of 2019/20 with an ACL injury but helped the club win the French title in the following campaign.

She spent the second half of last season on loan to Manchester United, her spell in England again disrupted by injury.

Bruun was Denmark's top scorer in their successful qualifying campaign for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, scoring 13 goals as they won Group E with a maximum 24 points.

Seraina Piubel

The 22-year-old midfielder is one of four Zürich players who have appeared for every minute of the club's opening three Group C games, along with Nadine Riesen, Julia Stierli and Laura Vetterlein.

Piubel is also the only Zürich player to have found the net so far in Group C, scoring the team's consolation goal in their 3-1 defeat at Arsenal on Matchday 2.

She came through the ranks at Zürich and won the Swiss league and cup double in 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2021/22.

She was among three nominees for the Swiss Women's Super League player of the year in 2021.

Capped by Switzerland at Under-17 and U19 level, Piubel has earned just one senior cap but has been included in recent squads and will hope to represent her country at the 2023 Women's World Cup.

Key facts

Lyon have failed to score in just one of their last 40 European games – a 1-0 loss at Bayern München in last season's group stage.

This is the first season in which Lyon failed to win either of their opening two European fixtures. Indeed, they won both of their first two in all 15 previous campaigns.

Despite losing against Arsenal on Matchday 1, the record European champions have won 18 of their last 20 UEFA Women's Champions League home games (L2).

Outside of the qualifying phase Zürich have lost their last nine UEFA Women's Champions League matches.