Lyon ran riot in extra-time to beat Wolfsburg 4-0 on Thursday to advance to the Women’s Champions League semi-finals 4-1 on aggregate.
The French club set up a final-four clash with defending champions Arsenal who advanced past Chelsea 3-2 on aggregate on Wednesday despite a 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.
Wolfburg had arrived in south-eastern France with a 1-0 first leg lead thanks to Dutch striker Lineth Beerensteyn’s goal in Germany.
But eight-time winners Lyon dominated with US midfielder Lily Yohannes opening after 16 minutes with the 18-year-old’s deflected strike finding the bottom-left corner.
The French side had beaten Wolfsburg in the league phase, but the Germans, whose two Champions League titles came back-to-back in 2013 and 2014, held on despite the hosts’ constant pressure.
Lyon goalkeeper Christiane Endler did well to deny Janou Levels, Wolfburg’s best chance from close range after 78 minutes.
Wolfsburg keeper Stina Johannes was also solid faced with a Melchie Dumornay attempt on goal after 93 minutes to send the match into extra time.
Lyon, looking to win the title for the first time since 2022, then took control with their substitutes proving decisive.
After a Marie-Antoinette Katoto goal was disallowed for offside, Dumornay made it 2-0 from a corner taken by Selma Bachat after a VAR review after 102 minutes.
Damaris Egurrola then headed home another corner from Bachat five minutes later.
Katoto and Dumornay had both come on as substitutes in the 69th minute, as had Tabitha Chawinga, who added a fourth after a counter-attack after 119 minutes.
“We know what these Lyon versus Wolfsburg matches are like — always very competitive,” said Lyon captain Wendie Renard.
“They made things very difficult for us, with different tactical approaches, but I think we deserved it in the end.”
Earlier Thursday, Barcelona demolished rivals Real Madrid 6-0 to progress 12-2 on aggregate.
Alexia Putellas shone for the Catalan giants on her 500th appearance for the club in their first game at the rebuilt Camp Nou, building on their 6-2 quarter-final first leg victory.
Three-time winners Barca reached an eighth consecutive semi-final, with winger Caroline Graham Hansen netting twice and Putellas also on the scoresheet in the rout.
Pere Romeu’s dominant side, runners-up to Arsenal last year, will face Bayern Munich in the semi-finals after the German side knocked out Manchester United on Wednesday.
Despite missing key player and long-term absentee Aitana Bonmati, Barca put on a tour de force to entertain a 60,000-strong crowd, the fourth-highest attendance in the competition’s history.
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