Right, that’s all from me! I’ll leave you with Sophie Downey’s match report from the Groupama Stadium. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
The apprentice has defeated the master. Renée Slegers was mentored by Joe Montemurro during a UEFA mentorship programme half a decade ago. Now, she has led Arsenal to a win over his Lyon team to reach the Champions League final.
Lyon manager Joe Montemurro tells DAZN: “Until today we were unbeaten, for what happened today was a little bit unexplainable. We weren’t calm enough to play our game and were beaten by the better team.”
Arsenal winger Caitlin Foord tells DAZN: “Any goal is special to get for this club and to do it in a moment like I did, I am so happy. I think we played really well and created the momentum. We finished our chances which is so important. We won the ball higher up in crucial areas and I think we rattled them a bit. We got them in good areas and finished our chances.”
Arsenal captain Kim Little tells DAZN: “It means a lot to this incredible football club. I’m excited and looking forward to representing this club in the final. We have belief in this group and we are very good at executing our game plans. We did it fairly well in the first leg but not well enough - today we executed it very well and thoroughly deserved to win.”
Countdown to the final – 27 days to go!
Earlier this week, Arsenal captain Kim Little told DAZN: “I’ve played a lot of Champions League games and been to semi-finals, but never a final. So to take this team and club there would be a special moment for everyone, but for me too.”
It’s happening…
This.
Great trip https://t.co/cOsERp9ESV
— Chloe (@chloekelly) April 27, 2025
There was belief in and around the Arsenal camp that they could complete a turnaround against Lyon today. But I don’t think anyone would have expected such a dominant display and scoreline. Renée Slegers has instilled something special in this Arsenal team. This day will go down in history for the Gunners.
Arsenal have reached their first Champions League final since 2007!
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Full-time: Lyon 1-4 Arsenal (3-5 agg)
What a turnaround from Arsenal! They are through to the Champions League final!
90+6 min: No penalty. Play resumes.
90+5 min: Play has been stopped to check a potential Lyon penalty. A possible handball from Mead it appears.
90+4 min: Arsenal fans are making themselves heard as we approach the final minute.
90+2 min: Another substitution for Arsenal as Katie Reid replaces McCabe. What a moment for the 18-year-old!
90+1 min: Five minutes have been added on. Five minutes separate Arsenal from the Champions League final.
90 min: Arsenal have a free kick in midfield following an accidental kick to the stomach from Marozsán on Cooney-Cross. Nothing comes of the set-piece.
88 min: Van Domselaar is booked for time wasting. Two minutes of regular time left to play.
87 min: Another double change for Arsenal. Caldentey, who scored the second goal of the day, is replaced by Lotte Wubben-Moy. Meanwhile, Maanum makes way for Kyra Cooney-Cross.
84 min: A huge chance for Lyon to get another! Marozsán gets a free header from a corner but directs her effort over the bar! Tensions are rising here…
82 min: The ball is sent into the Arsenal box and falls to Dumornay, who is given the time and space to set herself for the shot before firing past Van Domselaar. Game on?
GOAL! Lyon 1-4 Arsenal (Melchie Dumornay, 81)
Dumornay gets one back for the hosts! It’s now 5-3 on aggregate.
Updated
80 min: Another poor pass in the Lyon midfield is intercepted by Maanum and Arsenal look to break forward. The midfielder attempts to pass to Blackstenius but fails to find her.
78 min: It would, indeed, take a devastating collapse for Arsenal to let this slip now. Just over 10 minutes to go here. Lisbon is in sight for the WSL side!
Arsenal fan Kári is starting to believe…
“Now that 75 minutes have been played and Arsenal are three goals to the good, intrusive thoughts of total collapse have started to recede and I’m starting to believe that Arsenal will really reach the final. What a lovely day to be a fan!”
75 min: Another two changes for Lyon as Renard is replaced by Alice Sombath and Damaris makes way for Dzsenifer Marozsán.
73 min: Sommer goes for goal from distance but drags her effort well wide of the post.
71 min: Renée Slegers makes her first two changes of the game as goalscorer Russo makes way for Stina Blackstenius. Beth Mead is also introduced to replace Kelly.
68 min: Another two changes for Lyon as Daniëlle van de Donk replaces Heaps and Hegerberg makes way for Eugénie Le Sommer.
67 min: This is an absolute demolition job from Arsenal. They are tearing last year’s Champions League finalists apart.
64 min: Foord capitalises on a huge slip from Gilles in the box before firing her shot into the top-left corner! A hugely unfortunate error for the Lyon defender, but what a moment for Arsenal!
GOAL! Lyon 0-4 Arsenal (Caitlin Foord, 63)
It’s FOUR! Foord with the strike!
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62 min: Kelly avoids a booking for throwing the ball away. Arsenal need to be careful here.
60 min: Lyon have a corner and the ball is sent straight into the box. Dumornay goes for the volley around 15 yards out but McCabe gets in the way to block. Arsenal then look to break forward but Egurrola is booked for a cynical foul on Little.
58 min: Joe Montemurro is first to make a change as Amel Majri replaces Chawinga for Lyon.
55 min: A long ball is played over to Hegerberg deep in the Arsenal half. She brings it down for Chawinga, who makes a run in from the left before going for goal, but Van Domselaar makes a crucial save.
53 min: The ball is played to Russo on the edge of the box. The striker takes it on the half-turn before going for goal, forcing a save from Endler. Lyon head straight down to the other end of the pitch and Carpenter is in a position to shoot, but her effort flies past the post.
49 min: Two Arsenal stars stop Chawinga from breaking forward and the Gunners look to pounce once again. Nothing comes of the attack, however.
47 min: What a start to this second half from Arsenal! The Gunners capitalise on some poor Lyon defending from kick-off and the ball falls to Russo, who slots it past Endler and into the bottom-right corner!
GOAL! Lyon 0-3 Arsenal (Alessia Russo, 46)
In the blink of an eye, Arsenal extend their lead!
Updated
Kick-off: Lyon 0-2 Arsenal (2-3 agg)
We’re back under way!
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That was a fantastic first-half performance from Arsenal. They have so far achieved just what they needed to – and that was massively helped by the early goal. They have to remain fully focussed now for the remaining 45 minutes. A place in the final is at stake…
Arsenal fans, happy with that?
Half-time: Lyon 0-2 Arsenal (2-3 agg)
Arsenal have flipped this semi-final on its head. As it stands, they will meet Barcelona in the Champions League final – but there is still 45 minutes to be played…
45+2 min: Little picks out an attempted Lyon clearance on the edge of the box. She plays it short to Russo in the box, who sets it back to Caldentey 20 yards out from goal. The midfielder takes the ball out of her feet before unleashing a stunning shot into the top-right corner! What a moment to score!
GOAL! Lyon 0-2 Arsenal (Mariona Caldentey, 45+1 min)
OH MY GOODNESS! What a strike from Caldentey! Arsenal lead!
Updated
45 min: Three minutes have been added on…
43 min: A loose Arsenal pass is intercepted and the ball is sent out to Dumornay on the right. The forward goes for the cross but McCabe can make the interception.
40 min: Foord attempts to slip Maanum through on goal in the box, but the midfielder doesn’t seem to anticipate the pass and Lyon have a goal kick.
38 min: Lyon have a corner and Arsenal make the clearance, but the ball only runs as far as Carpenter around 30 yards out from goal. The defender goes for the shot and blazes her effort over the bar. Another heart-in-mouth moment for the visitors.
35 min: Lyon have a free kick in a very threatening position after Dumornay is fouled by Maanum. Bacha steps up to take and fires her effort narrowly over the crossbar. Arsenal breathe a sigh of relief.
34 min: Caldentey picks up a loose ball and goes for an audacious shot from around 25 yards out, but her effort is off-target. Arsenal are really piling on the pressure now.
33 min: Another big chance for Arsenal as McCabe fires in a cross from the left. Russo is in the middle but can’t make contact.
Updated
31 min: Van Domselaar is now down and receiving treatment. The Dutch goalkeeper is just returning from an ankle injury so Renée Slegers will be hoping this is not too serious.
29 min: Looking at the replay, Catley and McCabe appeared to accidentally kick each other while they both attempted a clearance. Very bizarre. But the Australian defender jogs off so I’m guessing she’s fine – for now, at least.
28 min: Catley is down holding her ankle. She seems to be in some discomfort here. Arsenal do not want to be forced into a change this early.
26 min: Caldentey intercepts another poor clearance from Lyon and sends a cross straight into Russo in the box. The striker goes for goal with a header but directs her effort wide.
25 min: McCabe frustrates Carpenter and forces a foul on the left. The free kick is taken, but Arsenal quickly lose possession.
22 min: Renard plays a fantastic switch pass over to Diani on the right, who looks to cut inside, but McCabe comes across to deflect the ball behind for a corner.
21 min: Lyon fans are ramping up their support for their team as we reach the midway point of the first half.
18 min: Bacha plays a looping cross deep into the box from the left. Dumornay is there and looks to direct the ball across goal, but her pass is far too high for her team-mates.
15 min: This has been a brilliant start for Arsenal. They need to remain focussed now. Lyon’s biggest threat is their strength and speed when playing forward on the break – which caught the Gunners out multiple times last week.
Updated
13 min: Catley now picks up possession on the left and swings a looping cross into the box, but Endler comes off her line to claim.
11 min: Foord receives the ball on the left. She cuts inside past Carpenter and makes her way into the box before going for goal, forcing Endler into a save at the near post.
8 min: Lyon search for the equaliser as a corner is sent into the box. Van Domselaar attempts to catch but spills the ball and comes all the way off her goal line. Renard wins possession and goes for goal but blasts her effort over the crossbar.
6 min: A corner is sent into the box and Egurrola looks to clear, but she heads her attempt into the back of Endler and the ball bounces over the line!
Updated
GOAL! Lyon 0-1 Arsenal (Christiane Endler, 5)
There it is! The early goal Arsenal needed! It’s all level! A huge moment for the WSL side!
Updated
4 min: Foord intercepts a Lyon clearance and plays a one-two with Russo before passing to Little, who forces a strong save from Endler. The visitors have a corner.
2 min: The corner is sent into the box and Williamson goes for the header at the back post but just misses it. Lyon can clear the danger.
1 min: Arsenal break forward early as the ball is played over to Kelly on the right. The winger looks to make the cross but instead wins a corner.
Kick-off
Here we go!
The stage is set at Parc Olympique Lyonnais…
Ahead of today’s match, Arsenal full-back Katie McCabe said: “I believe on Sunday we can go in and be positive and score goals. We have the quality. We have the class around the team, but we have to be on it. We have to be on it from the get-go. We’ve spoken about, obviously, Lyon and their strengths, but we know what we can do. We have the belief we can go and turn it around.”
Simon and Amelie are optimistic about an Arsenal comeback this evening…
“Let’s stay positive. Arsenal to go one down in the first half but hit back with 3 goals in the second half, like the Madrid game. We can do this!”
During her pre-match press conference, Arsenal head coach Renée Slegers said: “Well, of course, you want to set up yourself so you don’t have to overcome setbacks. That’s the starting point. But we also know that in sports it will happen, because the further you go, the better teams you play against, this will happen.
“You’re going to play against good teams and good players. So what happens with us when we are in that situation and we have to come back within those 90 minutes or in the second leg? And I think the team so far has shown so much strength in those moments. And I think that’s key for us to be a winning team, that whatever happens, we stick to it, we keep on going, we have a mindset of winning, we persist, and we keep on believing in what we’re doing and we’re aligned on that. And I think that’s what the team has been showing.
“They’ve invested so much, the players, into these processes. And I think that’s why we’ve been able to turn things around before. And that, of course, gives us belief for the future as well.”
Here’s Tom Garry’s report from Stamford Bridge if you fancy some pre-match reading…
I want to hear from you! Don’t hesitate to get in touch with any predictions, feelings thoughts and all that jazz. Is a comeback on the cards for Arsenal? Or will it be a second successive final for Lyon?
I also want to know your reaction to Barcelona’s win over Chelsea…
If you fancy more of an in-depth recap of last weekend’s action, read Sophie Downey’s match report here…
So, as we approach kick-off, let’s briefly rewind to last weekend. Over 40,000 people took to the Emirates Stadium on a sunny Easter Saturday to watch the first leg of the Champions League semi-final between Arsenal and Lyon. After a nervous start, the Gunners began growing into the match but missed some glaring opportunities in front of goal. The home side found themselves behind when Kadidiatou Diani finished off a rapid Lyon attack.
Arsenal looked completely rejuvenated after half-time and pushed for an equaliser - which came when Mariona Caldentey converted a penalty in the 78th minute. But it didn’t take long for Melchie Dumornay to restore Lyon’s advantage by capitalising on a lapse in concentration from the Arsenal defence. The match finished 2-1 to Lyon, handing a huge boost to the French giants ahead of their home leg.
Elsewhere in the Women’s Champions League today, Barcelona have booked their place in the final with another 4-1 win over Chelsea (8-2 agg). Join Xaymaca Awoyungbo for all the reaction as we await kick-off in Lyon.
Daphne van Domselaar has returned to the Arsenal matchday squad for the first time since the international break. The goalkeeper suffered an injury to her ankle while on duty for Netherlands earlier this month and there were initial fears that she could miss several weeks of action. However, she has made a swift return in time for this huge game. Lotte Wubben-Moy is also back for the London side, although she starts on the bench.
Team news
Arsenal starting line-up: Daphne van Domselaar; Emily Fox, Leah Williamson, Steph Catley, Katie McCabe, Kim Little (C), Mariona Caldentey, Frida Maanum; Chloe Kelly, Alessia Russo, Caitlin Foord. Substitutes: Manuela Zinsberger, Naomi Williams, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Amanda Ilestedt, Katie Reid, Jenna Nighswonger, Lia Wälti, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Victoria Pelova, Rosa Kafaji, Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius.
Lyon starting line-up: Christiane Endler; Ellie Carpenter, Vanessa Gilles, Wendie Renard, Selma Bacha, Damaris Egurrola, Lindsey Heaps, Melchie Dumornay; Tabitha Chawinga, Ada Hegerberg, Kadidiatou Diani. Substitutes: Laura Benkarth, Sofia Huerta, Elma Junttila Nelhage, Alice Sombath, Sofie Svava, Tarciane, Sara Däbritz, Amel Majri, Dzsenifer Marozsán, Daniëlle van de Donk, Vicki Bècho, Eugénie Le Sommer.
Preamble
It’s crunch time. A place in the Champions League final awaits the winner of this evening’s highly-anticipated clash between Lyon and Arsenal. The French side approach the match with a one-goal advantage having won the first leg 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium. However, a place on the bill at the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon is still within Arsenal’s reach.
Renée Slegers and Co believe they can overturn the scoreline, but it’ll be easier said than done. Nevertheless, it’s certainly not impossible.
Kick-off is at 5pm BST - you don’t want to miss it!
