Key events
Some pre-match reading for you …
The teams
Arsenal: Zinsberger, Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe, Little, Caldentey, Maanum, Mead, Russo, Foord. Substitutes: Williams, Ilestedt, Reid, Nighswonger, Walti, Cooney-Cross, Pelova, Kafaji, Kelly, Blackstenius.
Lyon: Endler, Carpenter, Gilles, Sombath, Bacha, Horan,Egurrola, Van de Donk, Diani, Dumornay, Chawinga. Substitutes: Benkarth, Huerta, Renard, Junttila-Nelhage, Majri, Dabritz, Le Sommer, Marozsan, Hegerberg, Svava, Becho, Tarciane Karen.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to minute-by-minute coverage of the Women’s Champions League semi-final clash between Arsenal and Lyon.
Arsenal welcome Joe Montemurro back to the Emirates after his stint at the club from 2017 to 2021. There’s further familiarity between Montemurro and the current Arsenal manager Renée Slegers – Montemurro was paired with Slegers on the 2019-21 Uefa coach mentor programme. Slegers, who has guided Arsenal to 22 wins in her 27 games in charge, will be keen to show her mentor what she has learned. The home side are seeking to emulate their 5-1 victory over Lyon in the 2022-23 group stage.
Meanwhile, serial winners Lyon are aiming to move a step closer to winning a record extending ninth Champions League title. They’re in good form, having dispatched Bayern Munich 6-1 on aggregate in their quarter-final. Montemurro’s side have only lost once all season and boast an elite strikeforce, including Kadidiatou Diani, Ada Hegerberg and Melchie Dumornay. Arsenal will need to keep them quiet to have a chance of going through.
Kick-off is at 12.30pm BST. Email me with your thoughts.
