The Lionesses winger could be a decisive figure as the Gunners head to France needing to beat the eight-time European champions
Arsenal are certainly up against it this weekend. After losing the home leg of their Champions League semi-final clash with Lyon by a 2-1 scoreline, the Gunners have to beat the eight-time European champions on their own patch on Sunday if they are to reach the final of this competition for the first time since they triumphed in it back in 2007.
Lyon’s last home defeat came over a year ago, when they were beaten on penalties by Fleury in the semi-finals of the Coupe de France. Their last home defeat in 90 minutes was over two years ago, when Chelsea were 1-0 winners in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie. In short, it’s not often that OL are beaten in their own backyard.
But there are reasons for Arsenal to believe. The Gunners created plenty of chances in that first leg, they just didn’t take them; in the last round, they completed an unlikely comeback, overturning a 2-0 deficit against Real Madrid by winning 3-0 at home; and, crucially, both Alessia Russo and Chloe Kelly should be fitter and sharper this time around. If that quarter-final triumph is anything to go by, then the latter’s creativity could well make the difference, too.
