Lyon v Paris final: what they said, where to watch, what to know
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Article summary
Lyon, chasing a record-equalling fourth title, and Paris Saint-Germain showed plenty of mutual respect as they prepared for the first all-French final in Cardiff on Thursday.
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Article body
- Lyon face Paris Saint-Germain in first all-French final at Cardiff City Stadium
- Lyon, in joint-record sixth final, aiming to match FFC Frankfurt's best of four wins
- Paris lost only previous final 2-1 to Frankfurt in 2015
- Both teams won one league showdown this season as Lyon took title and beat Paris on penalties in cup final
- Lyon forward Alex Morgan trains after recovering from injury
- Follow live build-up to the final
Team news
Alex Morgan's hamstring injury in Lyon's 3-0 league victory over Paris on 13 May ruled her out of the French Cup final six days later and the 3-0 win at Metz last Thursday that concluded OL's league season. However, she has trained this week and is in contention for what would be the last match of her Lyon loan spell. As for Paris, Sabrina Delannoy should be available for the final game of her career, despite an ankle injury.
Possible line-ups
Lyon: Bouhaddi; Houara-D'Hommeaux, M'Bock Bathy, Renard, Buchanan; Kumagai, Abily, Marozsán, Majri; Le Sommer, Hegerberg/Morgan.
Paris: Kiedrzynek; Delannoy, Georges, Parades; Perisset, Geyoro, Formiga, Cruz Trana, Lawrence; Delie, Cristiane.
Where to watch
What they said at Wednesday's press conference
- Gérard Prêcheur, Lyon coach
Alex Morgan is back on her feet and she is available tomorrow – you will see then if she will start! When you win the cup final in a penalty shoot-out with your eighth penalty you cannot assume this match will be easy or be complacent – never! If you are a competitor, you always want to win trophies. We can win two consecutive trebles. No one has ever done that, so that is great motivation.
- Patrice Lair, Paris coach
It is amazing, I would never have thought it would be possible [to have an all-French final]. When we got to the finals with Lyon we used to play German teams, but now we have two French teams and it shows how far French clubs have come.
Obviously Lyon are favourites – they're probably the best team in the world – but we have our own strengths. Maybe we have a slightly smaller squad, but if we play like we can, we can do it. We are not afraid. We are very motivated and very happy to be back in a final – I didn't think it would happen so soon [after becoming coach last summer] but we've deserved it.
Reporter's view: Paul Saffer (@UEFAcomPaulS)
Taking Lyon to penalties in the French Cup final just under a fortnight ago gave Paris a huge and much-needed boost following the 3-0 loss to their rivals six days earlier which has left Lair's charges requiring a win in Cardiff to qualify for Europe next season.
Lair led Lyon to their first two European titles, and several of the Paris squad have also won this competition. Nevertheless, Lyon are the team to beat: even if Alex Morgan did miss out, they still have Ada Hegerberg, Eugénie Le Sommer and Dzsenifer Marozsán in an incredible attack.
Read more ...
- Verónica Boquete on beating Paris in 2015 and helping them win now
- Wendie Renard on how Lyon have transformed in her 11 years there
- Shirley Cruz Traña's inside guide to Paris
- Camille Abily's lowdown on the Lyon players
- Interview with final referee Bibiana Steinhaus
Did you know?
- Lair guided Lyon to their first two European crowns, in 2011 and 2012. Shirley Cruz Traña and Laura Georges, now at Paris, were in those Lyon teams. He could become the first coach to lift the trophy three times.
- Marozsán and Paris playmaker Verónica Boquete were in the Frankfurt side that beat the French capital club 2-1 in the 2015 final.
- Lyon's Sarah Bouhaddi, Wendie Renard, Camille Abily and Le Sommer have been in all three of OL's final-winning teams (2011, 2012, 2016).
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