Lyon vs Arsenal Women's Champions League preview: Where to watch, starting line-ups

Lyon and Arsenal meet in the UEFA Women's Champions League semi-final second leg on Sunday 27 April at OL Stadium.

What do you need to know?

Lyon, aiming for a 12th final in this 24-year-old competition, won 2-1 at Arsenal last Saturday as although Mariona Caldentey's penalty cancelled out Kadidiatou Diani's opener, the outstanding Melchie Dumornay dinked in with eight minutes to go. Whereas Lyon have fallen just twice in their 14 semi-finals, Arsenal must now overturn a deficit to avoid a seventh exit in their eight last-four ties, but then they have already done so in both their previous knockout ties this season against Häcken and Real Madrid, albeit at home. And only last season, Barcelona were beaten 1-0 at home in the first leg of their semi-final with Chelsea and still were able to get to the decider (and defeat Lyon).

Arsenal seemed if anything the more likely first-leg winner when Mariona converted her 78th-minute penalty. But Lyon have been formidable all season under former Gunners coach Joe Montemurro and the combination of Dumornay, Diani and Tabitha Chawinga bore fruit yet again. That has helped them win all nine games in the competition this season; no team have ever had a ten-game streak from the start of a campaign (Umeå won all nine of their matches in 2003/04 and Barcelona had a similar start to Lyon in 2021/22 but lost their remaining two games).

The win came despite Wendie Renard having to sit out the first leg on the bench due to a foot injury. If she features on Sunday she will bring up her 500th Lyon appearance, and 125th in the Women's Champions League. Arsenal will take hope from the biggest defeat in those previous 499, the Gunners' 5-1 win at Lyon on Matchday 1 of this competition in 2022/23, when Caitlin Foord and Beth Mead both scored twice and Frida Maanum was also on target. Arsenal, whose campaign began in round 1, will break one Lyon record by becoming the first team to play 14 matches in a single campaign in this competition.

Arsenal goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar missed the first leg due to injury but coach Renée Slegers hopes to have both her and defender Lotte Wubben-Moy (out since February) available along with captain Kim Little. A record Arsenal travelling contingent of more than 400 will make the trip to France.

Form guide

Lyon
Last six games: WWDWWW
Last match: Nantes 0-2 Lyon, 23/04, Première Ligue
Where they stand: 1st in Première Ligue regular season

Arsenal
Last six games: LWWWWL
Last match: Arsenal 1-2 Lyon, 19/04, Women's Champions League semi-final first leg
Where they stand: 2nd in Women's Super League

Starting line-ups

Lyon: Endler; Carpenter, Gilles, Renard, Bacha; Heaps, Egurrola, Dumornay; Diani, Hegerberg, Chawinga

Arsenal: Van Domselaar; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Little, Maanum, Mariona; Kelly, Russo, Foord

View from the camps

Joe Montemurro, Lyon coach: "The main message is to stay in who you are. Believe in ourselves and believe in everything we have built throughout the season. The situation is favourable, it is now up to us to confirm. We have to keep in mind that we will have ups and downs during this match and that we will have to adapt to the situation, depending on what is proposed.

"The success of this club is based on its standards, which are always very, very high. This is what has created the winning culture of this club. We know here that we have to be ready for each match, and maintain the same level of demand throughout the season. Every detail counts here."

Lindsey Heaps, Lyon midfielder: "The Arsenal players have made a lot of comebacks this season, and especially in the Champions League. They are a good team, who have progressed a lot. We know what they have to do to get back into the game, it's up to us to focus on ourselves.

"The level of demand here can be felt from the first minutes of the season. We know what the objectives are, the standards of this team, the objectives of trophies. The intensity is enormous in training and that's what best prepares us for big games and conditions success in order to win as many trophies as possible here. This team is always ready for these kinds of moments."

Renée Slegers, Arsenal coach: "[Van Domselaar and Wubben-Moy] will train [on Saturday] and then be available on Sunday. As always, everyone needs to come through training. Having these players back is very positive. [Little is] OK; the plan is for her to train [on Saturday].

"We know Lyon have a next level in them, but so do we. We're going to give everything we can give because there's nothing to hold back for."

Katie McCabe, Arsenal captain: "You have to have grit, perseverance, courage to step up in these games. We were frustrated at times in the first leg by the fine margins and not getting over the line. But we have been hard at it and looking at how we can get better in those moments, keep improving, keep getting those opportunities.

"I am very lucky to be surrounded by great team-mates, high-quality players and staff and to be so long at a club like Arsenal: I don't take that for granted at all."

Where is the 2025 UEFA Women's Champions League final being played?

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Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon will stage the 2025 UEFA Women's Champions League final on Saturday 24 May.

The home of Sporting CP opened in 2003 ahead of UEFA EURO 2004 in Portugal, replacing another stadium of the same name. It hosted a semi-final of that tournament, among other games, and was the venue for the UEFA Cup decider the following year.

The 2025 final will be the second Women's Champions League showpiece to be held in Lisbon after 2014, when Estádio do Restelo staged Wolfsburg's 4-3 win against Tyresö.