With Lyon’s domestic and European dominance, who realistically has a chance to challenge them in 19/20 season?

Olympique Lyon fans beat drums during the Women's Champions League match between Lyon and Wolfsburg at Stade de Lyon on March 29, 2017 in Lyon, France.

(March 28, 2017 - Source: Christopher Lee/Getty Images Europe)

The UEFA Women’s Champions League is currently underway and there is one question hanging in the air when it comes to Europe’s biggest club competition. Over the years, Olympique Lyonnais has sustained its position as a dominant force in women’s football, it can easily be said that they are the most prolific team in the world today. Who would be able to match Lyon and take over the European crown? Is it even possible with the current heavyweights that constitute Lyon’s squad? What they have managed to achieve puts them amongst the greatest teams in the world. This team is arguably the most accomplished team in women football as we speak. They are the most feared and sought after team in the world, loved and revered for their game and their championship values.

Why is it difficult to beat Lyon?

Years after the UEFA Women’s Champions League was formed, there are still only a few teams that can go against this formidable squad. The world’s finest players want to play for the team, as a result, they have a talent pool of incredible players such as the Norwegian Ada Herderberg and England’s Lucy Bronze who have been key in the team. This dominance has resulted in Lyon being a team that others look up to. Some have called them the best team assembled in history and this is not to exaggerate and sensationalize the feats that Lyon have been able to achieve in France and Europe. While winning the European Cup is an accomplishment that most teams dream of, Lyon have consistently had the reigns both domestically and in Europe. Once again, few teams can claim such a record and not even teams in the males’ game. The greatest thing to watch about Lyon is the consistency, for fans, it’s satisfying to know that your team is going to be consistent.

“If we needed another example of Vivianne Miedema’s greatness and as a dominant figure on the pitch, the Netherlands’ all-time top goalscorer is this season’s UCL top goal scorer ahead of the aforementioned Ada Hegerberg, netting 10 goals in 4 matches of the competition so far.  ”

— Margaret Mandeya, FirstTouch Africa

Vicky Losada of FC Barcelona conducts the ball under pressure from Delphine Cascarino of Olympique Lyon during the UEFA Women's Champions League Quarter Final 2nd Leg match between FC Barcelona Women and Olympique Lyon Women at Mini Estadi on March 28, 2018 in Barcelona, Spain.

(March 27, 2018 - Source: Alex Caparros/Getty Images Europe)

Lyon Factsheet

Olympique Lyonnais Féminin was formed in 1970 in the historic city of Lyon and since then has risen in leaps and bounds with record-breaking accolades spanning both domestically and in European football. OL have an astonishing seventeen domestic French league titles to their name. Maintaining that top position can be attributed to their dominance which has attracted the best players and continues to be the place of choice for the world’s most talented players. When the Ballon D’Or award was finally set to be awarded to a woman for the first time, six women from the team were nominated namely, the brilliant Lucy Bronze Amandine Henry, Saki Kumagai, Dzsenifer Marozsan, Marta, and Ada Herderberg who eventually walked away with the prestigious award. The Norwegian has recently smashed another record by becoming the all-time top goalscorer with fifty-two goals in fifty UEFA Women’s Champions League games. Lyon have also claimed their most recent player accolade, the 2019 UEFA Women’s Best Player Award which went to defender Lucy Bronze, the fourth Lyon player in the last four years to receive this prestigious award. Award after award has helped serve as evidence to the fact that they are just the greatest team in the world right now. The facts have it that Lyon is not only highly successful in the women’s game but also in comparison to the achievements of male teams that have been around for much longer.

 However, the top teams that have the potential to knock Lyon from European dominance include:

 PSG

We cannot talk about any rivalry in France that is more prominent than that of PSG and Lyon. Although OL has won most of the titles in Division 1 Féminine, PSG has always been next in line. In the last 9 seasons in the domestic league, they have managed to lose only two games. In France, PSG are two-time cup winners and no strangers to the UCL, making it to the finals in 2015 and 2017 losing to Frankfurt and Lyon on the respective occasions. PSG have a team that has a wealth of experienced, captained by 41-year old veteran Formiga. Similar to their male counterparts, PSG Feminine have a young star, Marie-Antoinette Katoto who was last season’s Ligue 1 top goal scorer and with five goals in the tournament so far. A controversial decision by France head coach Corinne Diacre to leave the 20-year-old striker from the 2019 World Cup squad raised eyebrows, with Diacre explaining that the PSG striker was not meeting up to 100% of her talent. Katoto has continued to be the key in PSG’s domestic and European campaign this season.

isa Evans, Emma Mitchell and Kim Little of Arsenal Women celebrate with the trophy after the WSL Continental Cup Final between Arsenal Women and Manchester City Ladies at Adams Park on March 14, 2018 in High Wycombe, England.

(March 13, 2018 - Source: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images Europe)

Arsenal

Coming back from a five-year hiatus from Champions League football, the energy that they have been bringing to the games in the Champions League has been electric. They won last season’s Super Cup and are currently the only English team to qualify for the 2019/20 UWCL quarter-finals. Arsenal are former UCL champions themselves, lifting the cup in 2007. The current campaign has started off well for the Gunners, with a brilliant showing in the recent round of sixteen showcase against Slavia Prague whom they beat 13-2 on aggregate. Arsenal’s squad also has a good number of talents to boast of. One such major talent is the young Dutch phenomenon, Vivianne Miedema who is the heart of Arsenal’s attack with her spectacular goal-scoring abilities. She’s quickly becoming one of Europe’s most valuable players at just the age of 23. If we needed another example of Vivianne Miedema’s greatness as a dominant figure on the pitch, the Netherlands’ all-time top goalscorer is this season’s UCL top goal scorer ahead of the aforementioned Ada Hegerberg, netting 10 goals in 4 matches of the competition so far.  Another Dutch player and Arsenal’s top woman is Jill Roord, the 22-year old midfielder who joined the North Londoners this summer from Bayern Munich after two years in the Bundesliga. After being drawn on the same side as Lyon in the Quarterfinals, it is likely that Arsenal will meet Lyon in the semi-finals if they go through past PSG.

 Wolfsburg

Wolfsburg achieved a treble in the 2012-2013 season, winning the Bundesliga title, domestic cup and going on to win the UEFA Champions League. Stephan Lerch’s team holds the second-most consecutive wins in the UEFA Champions League finals after Lyon. The Bundesliga has been dominated by Wolfsburg, having won five titles in the last six seasons. The She-wolves are unbeaten in their domestic games and could go on to meet the French champions, Lyon in the finals. The pressure will be on Wolfsburg who have an anchor in Pernille Harder, an inspirational figure in the squad to lead them to a possible second-ever UCL title.

Dzsenifer Marozsan of Olympique Lyon battles with Isabel Kerschowski of VFL Wolfsberg and Babett Peter of VFL Wolfsberg during the Women's Champions League match between Lyon and Wolfsburg at Stade de Lyon on March 29, 2017 in Lyon, France.

(March 28, 2017 - Source: Christopher Lee/Getty Images Europe

Barcelona

Last year’s runners up could potentially face Lyon in the 2020 UCL final. In last year’s meeting, Barca was overwhelmed by a strong Lyon side that put four past their goal to win a fourth UCL title in a row during last season’s competition. The Spanish giants have four domestic titles to boast of in the Primera División. Barca’s team is so solid that as many as 15 of its players were called up to their respective national teams. Star player Lieke Martens who suffered an injury during the world cup is set to return to the field for the UCL quarter-finals. Barcelona faces another tough opponent in domestic rivals and current league champions Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last 8.

Conclusion

Lyon has shown the world that they are a brilliantly assembled team that consists of the best players in the world; an unstoppable force and a formula for repetitive titles. Their unmatched dominance is just another example of why they deserve to be called the best team in the world. They have also shown that the women’s game should be paid attention to as they cease not to deliver performances that continue to garner them titles and a much-coveted reputation. It’s a difficult exercise to point which team has the potential to topple Lyon but as years go by, other teams are definitely getting stronger and making it harder for Lyon to retain their European dominance.

 The first leg of the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-finals will be held in March 2020 with the semi-finals happening on April 25-26 and May 2-3. Be on the lookout for more stories as the competition unfolds. 

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group G

Julian Nagelsmann manager of 1899 Hoffenheim catches the match ball during the Group F match of the UEFA Champions League between FC Shakhtar Donetsk and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim at Donbass Arena on September 19, 2018 in Donetsk, Ukraine.

(Sept. 18, 2018 - Source: Joosep Martinson/Getty Images Europe)

Group G

Zenit St Petersburg vs Benfica- Wednesday, 02 October 2019

They looked like outsiders on opening night but a point secured at Lyon has gotten people seriously looking at the Russians. Zenit should be favorites at home when they welcome the Portuguese champions, Benfica. The latter are themselves not without talented individuals in their squad with the ever reliable Pizzi and Seferovic who scored in their 1-2 opening loss to Leipzig, a balanced encounter that was decided on fine margins. Experience could prove the difference with Benfica needing a whole lot more of it.

Leipzig vs Lyon- Wednesday, 02 October 2019

Julian Nagelsmann’s remarkable rise to coaching has continued in Red Bull Leipzig colors with the young gaffer having tasted his only league defeat of the new season over the weekend against Schalke. The 32-year-old coach and his charges are definitely within touching distance of challenging for the Bundesliga this season and enjoyed a fruitful trip to Benfica on opening UCL night. Last season’s round-of-16 finalists, Lyon will prove a more challenging opposition under the Brazilian, Slyvinho. All eyes will be on star-striker Timo Werner to continue firing Leipzig to the top as they look to reach the knock-out stages for the first time in their history.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 1): Group G

Lyon vs Zenit St Petersburg- Tuesday 18 September 2019

Zenit St Petersburg and Lyon meet in the Lyon Olympic Stadium for the third time in the competition, having played each other on two previous UEFA clashes in which Zenit took the win on both occasions. After winning their seventh title in the Russian Premier League, Zenit St Petersburg are possible last 16 contenders despite being the underdogs. Lyon came third last season in the French Ligue 1. With a tally of 15 goals last season and 5 already in the new campaign, Moussa Dembélé should be the player to watch. Lyon’s other top goal scorer Memphis Depay is at the top of his game with an impressive start to the season securing four goals and one assist. Zenit also have former Barca forward and summer signing Malcolm in their ranks to help their cause.

Benfica vs RB Leipzig- Tuesday 18 September 2019

Unbeaten in the Bundesliga, Red Bull Leipzig go head to head with Portuguese side Benfica in a group G clash, in Lisbon. RB Leipzig tops the league ahead of Dortmund and is in impressive form, recently frustrating champions Bayern Munich to a 1-1 draw. Their star striker, 23-year-old Timo Werner scored 16 goals and managed seven assists in the Bundesliga last season. Joao Felix’s move to Atletico has left a gap in the Benfica attack though Pizzi is expected to play a vital role in this campaign, who scored 13 times and served up 18 assists in 34 matches.

Maxwell Cornet of Lyon celebrates after scoring his team's first goal with his team mates during the Group F match of the UEFA Champions League between Manchester City and Olympique Lyonnais at Etihad Stadium on September 19, 2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 18, 2018 - Source: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images Europe)

Are Lyon Women the best women’s football team ever assembled, and is it good for the game?

Introduction

Olympique Lyonnais is a French club that has been existence since 1970. They play in the highest division in France, Ligue 1. Lyon are known for being able to attract and groom the best talent in the world. Even more prominently, they are remembered for accolades that includes winning the league ten times, the Coupe de France seven times, and the Champions League four times. In this article, we want to not just analyse their greatness, but critically ask ourselves if the team’s greatness is beneficial to the game as a whole. Does it help to always have an almost unbeatable opponent?

Sarah Bouhaddi of Olympique Lyonnais lifts the trophy in victory after the UEFA Women's Champions League Final between Lyon and Paris Saint Germain at Cardiff City Stadium on June 1, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales. Olympique Lyonnais win 7-6 on penalties after the match finished 0-0.

(May 31, 2017 - Source: Stu Forster/Getty Images Europe)

Champions League

With a record crowd of ​ 22,911 people behind Chelsea, Lyon showed that sometimes all that matters is what happens on the pitch​. ​The French Ligue 1 side humbled Chelse​a ​to a 2-1 defeat, making it to the final of the 2019 UEFA Women’s Champions League which will be held on the 18th of May in Budapest. The team will not just be tasting a European final for the first time but will be lining up for the title for the 4th time in a row. This shall be Lyon’s eighth final appearance since 2010 and have won the title on 5 of such occasions. Surely greatness maybe accompanied by some form of luck. Lyon got one of their desperately needed goals as an​ ​own goal​ from ​Chelsea. Unlike most games where the French champions just almost breeze through the 90 minutes, they were really pushed in against the North London club, with some of the players kneeling on the ground after the game. This goes on to show that the team could be getting the right competition to either topple down their reign or push them to the fullest potential. The road to this stage has however been fairly easy compared to what most teams go through seeing that they have never lost a single game. They had 2 draws and an impressive 9-0 score agains​t ​Ajax Women in October last year​. ​When a team hits such a clean record, is it then not fair to ask if they are not the best team ever assembled? We will also take a deep look into the components that make up this explosion.

 Current Roster

Recently, The Guardian released a list of top 100 players in the world and 5 of the players in the Top 10 were from Lyon. In other words, 50% of the ladies that are most celebrated in the world, play for the French Champions. Below are brief bios of Ada Hegerberg, Lucy Bronze and Eugénie Le Sommer that came 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively. The first two players also made it to ​FIFA’s Top 10 women​.

Olympique Lyonnais' French forward Eugenie Le Sommer (L) and Norwegian forward Ada Hegerberg (R) celebrate during the Women Champions League semi-final first leg football match Olympique Lyonnais (OL) against Paris-Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Parc de l'Olympique Lyonnais in Decines-Charpieu, central eastern France, on April 24, 2016. / AFP / ROMAIN LAFABREGUE

(April 24, 2016 - Source: AFP)

Ada Hegerberg

She is known as the first woman to have won the prestigious B​allon d'Or in 2018. This was not the first as she has been showered with awards all her career. At 16 years of age, she played for Kolbotn in Norway and became the youngest player to score a hat trick. In that league, she emerged as the Youngest Player of the Year. Ada was also the first woman to be awarded the Norwegian Gold Ball Award and voted ​UEFA’s Best Woman Playe​r in Europe. The 23-year-old Norwegian was instrumental in Lyon’s win against Wolfsburg to snatch their most recent Champions League crown and in their 2017/18 French title triumph. The Ballon d’Or award was in recognition for outstanding scoring record, 53 goals in 33 appearances for her club. Good news is that Lyon does not have to worry about losing her to any other club as she has signed a contract to stay with the club until 2021. 

 Lucy Bronze

After qualifying for the Champions League finals, Lucy Bronze expressed disappointment that her team ​simply won the game​. According to her, they are a team that should not just win, but excel at what they do. To anyone else, this should have been something to celebrate. That perhaps speaks to the players’ insatiable ambition for doing the very best on the field of play. This even explains why the England Women’s team head coach, Phil Neville,​ hails Lucy as the best player in the world​. The former Manchester United player commends Lucy for her ability to get the ball and pass with great athletic skill. To him, she has reached world class status. The English international has also won the ​ PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year twice in 2014 and 2017.

 Eugénie Le Sommer

The 29-year-old who is also part of the French national team scored 10 goals in 13 games in the ongoing UEFA ​Women’s Champions League. The player who is known for her fantastic forward passes is currently the highest goal scorer at Lyon, approaching the 250 goal mark. She has also been complemented greatly for her incredible teamwork both off and on the field. ​ One thing that she is passionate about is never ceasing to dream. In an ​interview with Foot Mercato​, Le Sommer expressed that for her “the B​allon d'Or is not an ultimate goal”. She does acknowledge its significance to anyone who knows what soccer is about, but what she strives for, is to be efficient and at be her best. She was quoted saying, “​After all, it's not an ultimate goal for me. The most important thing is to be efficient. If I am good and I am at my level, I can hope to be in the list and why not win one day. But I'm not focused on it.”

 How Good Are They Really?

There is a tendency to exaggerate success when it is not put into context. We might think that Lyon is great until we see what other teams are doing. Starting off with Chelsea whom they kicked out of the UCL semi-finals. Chelsea has never won the Champions League but still boasts of the 2015 famous doubl​e, where they won both the FA Women’s Super League and the FA Women’s Cup. That was a while ago and really, the comparison between Lyon and Chelsea at this point, tips the scale towards to French Champions’ prowess and recent accomplishments. They will be facing Barcelona in the final, who will be stepping on the UCL finals turf for the first time. They have, however, done well in domestic cups like the Primera Division where they have won the top flight league title, four times and also won the Copa de Lareina, six times. One club that has also made strides in the game has been Vfl Wolfsburg from Germany.  At the time of the writing of this article, VfL Ladies were one win away from a third successive Bundesliga title after cruising to a 7-0 win against SC Sand on Sunday. They have won the Champions League twice and even beat Lyon in 2012/2013 season. It’s fair to conclude that Lyon have also had their few humbling experiences but none of the other prominent clubs has been able to achieve what they currently have under their belt. Lyon’s dominance can also be credited to their diamond formation​ (4-3-1-2) which enables them to engage all the players. They usually employ a more defensive technique that enable them to hit opponents on the counter, when they least expect it. Really, is such dominance worth celebrating?

“In a world where women football is still on the rise, but not yet where it should be, it is quite beneficial to have such legendary teams. They serve as inspiration for other teams not just in Europe, but in other parts of the world where women football might not even be taken seriously.”

— Simiso Shabangu, FirstTouch Africa

Lucy Bronze of Olympique Lyonnais scores the opening goal during the UEFA Women's Champions League, Semi Final Second Leg match between Olympique Lyonnais and Manchester City at Groupama Stadium on April 29, 2018 in Lyon, France.

(April 28, 2018 - Source: Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images Europe

 Is it Beneficial for the game?

Some may say it helps to have a team that is the best at what they do. Their actions and tactics become a benchmark for other teams and give them something that they can work towards. Other teams in the league can say, “We want to play like Lyon in future: because they have seen what greatness looks and feels like.” In a world where women football is still on the rise, but not yet where it should be, it is quite beneficial to have such legendary teams. They serve as inspiration for other teams not just in Europe, but in other parts of the world where women football might not even be taken seriously. Even though Lyon has a men’s section, the women section seems to be the more successful one, which is not usually the case with many teams that have both wings. Secondly, Lyon has become home to players who want to grow their career because they know that they can meet like-minded people who are willing to grow with them. A great team that becomes a magnet for great players and provides a grooming space for national teams and the international community is definitely a must keep. Teams like Lyon have done well for Europe and has even attracted great players from other parts of the world.

 On the other hand, though, does it really help to compete in a place where your opponent is almost unbeatable? Sports become enjoyable when the field is level and anybody can come up as a victor on any day. Lyon might be an inspiration at times but it can also be the reason why some teams are demotivated especially when they do not have the financial capacity to attract great talent the way that they do. Teams should never feel like they have lost a game even before they get to the field. Fortunately, Lyon is not unbeatable as there are other teams like Frankfurt, ​Vfl Wolfsburg​ and Arsenal that know how to feed the humble pies, once in a while.

 Conclusion

The term G.O.A.T. is not one that you just toss around like a coin, as it usually reflects unquestionable hard work and commitment. Based on the accolades and calibre of players that Lyon has been able to attract, it seems fair to give them this title. A G.O.A.T team. They are not unbeatable but have been able to do more than many other clubs. Such excellence is what everybody should be aiming for but when it is only saturated in one team, it might then work in others’ advantage in the grand scheme of things.

10 January Transfers Everyone Wants To See: #2 Houssem Aouar

No matter how good some players are, football players or otherwise – they kind of need a bigger turf or neighbourhood to show that they belong, to prove that they have the “it” factor. Such is the story of some of the most exciting professional footballers in the game today, they can only become as big as the club they play for and we have a few names that many would want to see move to other pastures. Some have been rumoured away from their clubs and some haven’t but sooner rather than later, transfers are inevitable. Coming in on number 2 on our list is another Ligue 1 player.

Houssem Aouar of Lyon is challenged by Ilkay Gundogan of Manchester City during the Group F match of the UEFA Champions League between Manchester City and Olympique Lyonnais at Etihad Stadium on September 19, 2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 18, 2018 - Source: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images Europe)

Do you remember the midfield maestro, Barcelona’s Xavi. The not so tall Spaniard who could mark anyone out of possession no matter their shape or size but mostly known for literally controlling the midfield by spraying all sorts of passes onto his teammates. Or are you perhaps excited with one of Barcelona’s most recent acquisitions in Arthur Mello, one tipped to be the long awaited replacement to Xavi. There is another copy of the two, short and also unique in his own playing style but just as dangerous. Olympique Lyonnais’ 20 year-old Aouar is simply remarkable. His maturity and simplicity with the ball has made him one of the hottest midfield prospects. Against the likes of Fernandinho or David Silva, Aouar came out on top in all of Lyon-Manchester meetings in this year’s UEFA champions league group stage. He can get out of any situation regardless of the number of opponents surrounding him and has been equally “guilty” of picking out the likes of Memphis Depay, Ivorian Maxwell Cornet or Burkinabe international Betrand Traore in unimaginable positions.

A young midfield anchor of Algerian descent, showing signs of maturity, incredible ability but still with a lot of growing to do, will he stay or will a new club be so blessed to have him?

2018 Prix Marc-Vivien Foe Award: Celebrating African players in Ligue 1

Since 2009, Radio France International and France 24 compile a list of the top performing African footballers in the Ligue 1 which will be subjected to a voting process to decide the ultimate winner at the end of every season. This year's 13-man shortlist has been announced and Burkina Faso’s Bertrand Traore, Togo’ Mathieu Dossevi and Cape Verde’s Julio Tavares are the early favorites to walk away with the award.

Last year’s winner, Jean Michael Seri is also on the list, looking to emulate his countryman, Gervinho who won the award in two consecutive years (2010-11). Lyon’s marksman, Bertrand Traore has enjoyed his maiden season in France, scoring on nine occasions and registering two assists. Tavares has eleven goals to his name while Dossevi has the fifth highest joint assists tally, sitting at eight.

Here is the full list of the 13 finalists:

• Keita BALDÉ DIAO (AS MONACO / SENEGAL / Forward / 23 years old)

• Matthieu DOSSEVI (FC METZ / TOGO / Midfielder / 30 years old)

• Max-Alain GRADEL (TOULOUSE FC / CÔTE D'IVOIRE / Forward / 30 years old)

• Gaël KAKUTA (AMIENS SC / DR CONGO / Midfielder / 26 years old)

• Wahbi KHAZRI ( RENNAIS STAGE / TUNISIA / Forward / 27 years old)

• Moussa KONATÉ (AMIENS SC / SENEGAL / Forward / 25 years old)

• Nicolas PÉPÉ (LOSC LILLE / COTE D'IVOIRE / Forward/ 22 years old)

• Jean Michaël SÉRI (OGC NICE / COTE D'IVOIRE / Midfielder / 26 years old)

• Julio TAVARES (DIJON FCO / CAPE VERDE / Forward / 29 years old)

• Karl TOKO EKAMBI (SCO ANGERS / CAMEROON / Forward / 25 years old)

• Bertrand TRAORE (OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS / BURKINA FASO / Forward / 22 years old)

• Hamari TRAORÉ (RENNAIS STAGE / MALI / Defender / 26 years old)

• André-Frank ZAMBO ANGUISSA (OLYMPIQUE MARSEILLE / CAMEROON / Midfielder / 22 years old)

The winner will be announced on the 14th of May.

Previous winners of the award include Marouane Chamakh, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Vincent Enyeama, Gervinho, Andre Ayew, Younes Belhanda and Jean Michael Seri.

This award was named the Prix Marc-Vivien Foe award in 2011, in honor of the Cameroon International, Foe, who passed away on 26 June 2003 on the lawn of the Gerland Stadium in Lyon whilst representing the Indomitable Lions in the Confederations Cup tournament.