Lyon look to experience in Umeå reunion

If Olympique Lyonnais want to cap their club's fine week and move a step closer to the UEFA Women's Champions League final they have experienced opponents to beat in the first leg of their last-four tie.

Lyon welcome Umeå IK to Stade de Gerland on Saturday with the French side hoping to avenge their defeat by the Swedish side at this stage of the former UEFA Women's Cup two years ago, when they drew 0-0 away then 1-1 at home. While Lyon followed up that debut run by losing in another semi-final last year, Umeå's loss at that stage 12 months ago was their first in six last-four appearances and they have been crowned champions twice.

However, while Umeå have moved to a younger squad recently for financial reasons, Lyon have a strong blend of French internationals and top foreign players, not least Sweden striker Lotta Schelin. OL winger Élodie Thomis certainly sees Umeå as beatable.

"Thanks to the European experience we have now, we're very relaxed," Thomis told Lyon's official website. "In our previous meeting, Umeå defeated us narrowly and we'll aim to win in our last game at Gerland this season. Several players have left Umeå for the United States, including the best player in the world, Marta. Without her, they're not the same team. We have built a good team who know each other very well. We'll have to show how much we have improved."

Joakim Blomqvist, appointed Umeå coach over the winter, made a fine start with a dramatic quarter-final elimination of Lyon's domestic rivals Montpellier Hérault SC, the Swedish side scoring twice late in the last five minutes of the second leg in France to go through on away goals. "It's good to be back in France; we feel at home and have fond memories from here," Blomqvist told UEFA.com. "Before then, we didn't quite know our capacity. Now we do. We grew as a team after that match."

However, his team began their league season with a 1-0 defeat at newly-promoted Jitex BK on Monday. "Against Damallsvenskan newcomers we are expected to win easily," Blomqvist said. "In the Women's Champions League we won't get as frustrated if we don't get an early goal."

Blomqvist, whose team stage the second leg next Sunday, know Lyon present a different challenge. "While Montpellier like to sit back and then counterattack, Lyon want more possession," he said. "They're also very strong offensively, not least Lotta Schelin. We mustn't give her the space she wants."