Former champions in strong positions
Monday, March 19, 2012
Article summary
Olympique Lyonnais, 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam and Arsenal LFC hold sway but another former champion 1. FFC Frankfurt must come from behind as the quarter-finals conclude.
Article top media content
Article body
The UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-finals conclude this week and a rematch of last year's decider is on the cards for the last four.
Holders Olympique Lyonnais will take a 4-0 lead to Brøndby IF on Wednesday and should they complete victory they could meet the side they have faced in the last two finals, 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam. The German champions, who sealed their second European title in 2010 with a win against Lyon but lost to the French team 12 months later, will be confident of defending a 2-0 advantage at home to Russia's FC Rossiyanka on Thursday.
An all-Swedish semi-final could be the outcome of the other two ties, but both Damallsvensken sides have far from straightforward tasks. Göteborg trail Arsenal LFC 3-1 as the 2007 winners visit, while FC Malmö are 1-0 up as they travel to three-time champions 1. FFC Frankfurt, who survived both previous rounds despite losing the away leg. Should Potsdam and Frankfurt go all the way they will meet in an all-German final on 17 May at Munich's Olympiastadion.
Quarter-final second legs (Wednesday, except *Thursday)
1. FFC Frankfurt (GER) 0-1 FC Malmö (SWE)
Brøndby IF (DEN) 0-4 Olympique Lyonnais (FRA, holders)
FC Rossiyanka (RUS) 0-2 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam (GER)*
Göteborg FC (SWE) 1-3 Arsenal LFC (ENG)
Semi-finals (14/15 and 21/22 April)
1: Lyon or Brøndby v Potsdam or Rossiyanka
2: Arsenal or Göteborg v Malmö or Frankfurt
Final (17 May, Olympiastadion, Munich)
Winner semi-final 1 v Winner semi-final 2