Meet the Women's Champions League semi-finalists
Friday, March 31, 2017
Article summary
Barcelona play Paris Saint-Germain and debutants Manchester City take on Lyon in the semi-finals over the last two weekends of April – read our full guide to the ties.
Article top media content
Article body
- Semi-final ties (22 & 29 April)
Barcelona (ESP) v Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
Manchester City (ENG) v Lyon (FRA, holders)
- Final: 1 June, Cardiff City Stadium
- BARCELONA v PARIS
Barcelona guide
• Road to the semi-finals: Minsk 3-0a/2-1h (5-1agg), Twente 1-0h/4-0a (5-0agg), Rosengård 1-0a/2-0h (3-0agg)
• Top scorer: Jenni Hermoso 5
• Previous best: first semi-final
• Bluffer's guide: At the third attempt Barcelona have won a quarter-final and it was a minor surprise, coming against Marta's Rosengård. Of all the remaining clubs, the first Spanish semi-finalists Barcelona are the most reliant on domestic talent, with their only foreign stars Danish defender Line Røddik Hansen and Brazilian midfielder Andressa Alves.
Paris guide
• Road to the semi-finals: LSK Kvinner 1-3a/4-1h (5-4agg), BIIK-Kazygurt 3-0a/4-1h (7-1agg), Bayern München 0-1a/4-0h (4-1agg)
• Top scorer: Cristiane 5
• Previous best: runners-up 2015
• Semi-final record: W1 L1
• Bluffer's guide: Hosting the second leg could be good news for Paris after their home comebacks against Norway's LSK in the round of 32 and Bayern in the quarters. Winter signings Ashley Lawrence and Formiga have added to a cosmopolitan squad containing French stars Marie-Laure Delie and Laura Georges (suspended for the Barça first leg) and foreign talent Shirley Cruz Traña, Verónica Boquete and Cristiane.
The verdict
Paris, fresh from destroying Frauen-Bundesliga title holders Bayern, will feel they have every chance of avenging their men's UEFA Champions League reverse to Barcelona. A year ago they beat the Blaugrana 1-0 on aggregate in the last eight, and this is far from uncharted territory for the Parisian side, who are in this stage for the third season running. However, Barcelona took a huge step forward in their tie with Rosengård, knocking one of Europe's established powers for the first time.
- MANCHESTER CITY v LYON
Man. City guide
• Road to the semi-finals: Zvezda-2005 2-0h/4-0a (6-0agg), Brøndby 1-0h/1-1a (2-1agg), Fortuna Hjørring 1-0a/1-0h (2-0agg)
• Top scorer: Lucy Bronze 3
• Previous best: first semi-final
• Bluffer's guide: Winning their first English title unbeaten in 2016, City have also taken excellently to European football, taking out three experienced clubs on their debut. The squad combines the best of British talent with global stars such as Sweden attacker Kosovare Asllani and reigning FIFA player of the year Carli Lloyd.
CLICK ON THE AUDIO PLAYER ABOVE TO HEAR CITY CAPTAIN STEPH HOUGHTON AND MANAGER NICK CUSHING DISCUSS THEIR WIN AGAINST FORTUNA AND TIE WITH LYON
Lyon guide
• Road to the semi-finals: Avaldsnes 5-2a/5-0h (10-2agg), Zürich 8-0h/9-0a (17-0agg), Wolfsburg 2-0a/0-1h (2-1agg)
• Top scorer: Camille Abily, Eugénie Le Sommer 5
• Previous best: winners 2011, 2013, 2016
• Semi-final record: W5 L2 (eighth semi-final equals FFC Frankfurt's record)
• Bluffer's guide: The holders and aiming for a joint-record fourth title, Lyon eliminated last term's runners-up Wolfsburg in the quarter-finals although their second-leg defeat was the first time they had failed to win in 13 fixtures in 2017. The winter signing of Alex Morgan gives them even more of an embarrassment of riches.
The verdict
The showdown between on-loan United States aces Lloyd and Morgan catches the eye as Lyon, the dominant European club of this decade, take on a team relatively low on UEFA competition experience but high on expectation. For City, though, Lyon will be a step up from any other side they have played at domestic or European level, with OL becoming the clear favourites to retain the trophy after taking out Wolfsburg.