- Olympique Lyonnais have lost only one of their last five matches, including in this year’s UWCL quarter-final, where they came from behind to beat Wolfsburg 4-0 in the second leg.
- Arsenal (W) have scored 13 goals in their last three March matches, including a 5-2 derby thrashing of Tottenham.
- Arsenal have one European title, while Lyon have eight, but the French giants are looking to win their ninth Champions League Women.
Rivals with form to make a mark
Arsenal (W) and Lyon (W) have swapped knockout wins over the past two seasons in the UEFA Champions League Women 2025-2026, and they will renew their rivalry in a semi-final clash in which the winner over two legs will earn a place in the Oslo final, with Arsenal seeking to defend their title.
Lyon (W) have the deeper European pedigree in this fixture, having lifted the trophy eight times to Arsenal (W)’s one, but the Gunners are clearly on the up in this competition, making a statement with their 4-1 win away in last season's semi-final tie.
Renée Slegers’ side have been a little up and down in April, losing the second-leg of their UWCL quarter-final against Chelsea (W) and suffering a shock FA Cup defeat, but they have progressed in Europe and remain in the top-three of the WSL on 38 points from 17 games.
Surging Gunners can get amongst the Lyon (W)
Lyon (W) are the dominant force domestically, having not lost a D1 Féminine match all season (W17, D2), but they had to come from behind in their quarter-final tie against Wolfsburg, eventually blowing the German champions away in the return leg with a 4-0 win.
This should be a fascinating tactical battle between an Arsenal (W) team that play a high-tempo, pressing game and create width through the thirds with their pace and movement, and a Lyon (W) side that are happy to sit back and control possession when they can’t take the game to their opponents, while their disciplined defensive structure keeps the game tight until they can unlock the opposition with a piece of quality.
The result may hinge on which team is able to do the most damage when they get the ball in the final third, where Alessia Russo is a talisman for Arsenal (W). She’s the current UWCL top-scorer and scored a hat-trick against Tottenham in March, while Lyon (W) have Melchie Dumornay, who has the pace and creativity to hurt teams on the counter-attack.
Back BTTS in an even affair
This fixture rarely produces a boring contest and it’s no different on Sunday. Both teams to score - Yes is the favourite at 11/25 and it should be, but we’re going to take on the odds-on market with a small play on Arsenal (W) to get amongst Lyon (W) on Sunday.
The odds slightly favour Lyon (W) at 36/25, with Arsenal (W) at 153/100, but the margin of difference between these teams is razor-thin, making the home crowd and Arsenal having won last year's semi-final tie enough to sway us towards the hosts in the outright market.
Both sides look full fit and will name their best XIs for this clash. Lyon (W) have a little more squad depth, but have used it well in the past month, coming back from rare blips to thrash Wolfsburg, while Arsenal (W) have the form and attacking talent to edge this tense and tight first-leg clash.
