Thursday 27 August 2020, 23:32

Stars collide as Lyon, Wolfsburg face final showdown

  • Wolfsburg and Lyon will meet in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final

  • Fourth time the two sides have faced each other in the deciding match

  • Lyon have won two of the previous three encounters

Whenever VfL Wolfsburg and Olympique Lyon meet, you know it is going to be a classic. The two sides are preparing to play each other in the final of the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the fourth time.

In 2013 the She-Wolves secured a narrow 1-0 victory, while the star-studded French team came out on top in 2016 (1-1 a.e.t; 4-3 on penalties) and 2018 (4-1). Will Wolfsburg break Lyon’s stranglehold on the competition this year?

With both teams completing the domestic league and cup double this season, Lyon have a chance to taste European glory for the fifth season in a row, while Wolfsburg could repeat their treble success from 2013.

"With Wolfsburg and Lyon, the final is once again being played between two top clubs," said former Germany international Annike Krahn, who won the competition (then named the UEFA Women’s Cup) with Duisburg in 2009, on UEFA.com.

"I’m expecting a closely-matched contest where the little details will be decisive. Both teams have plenty of experience and individual brilliance in their ranks. Lyon have had a day less to prepare, which could give Wolfsburg a slight advantage. In any case, Wolfsburg will need to improve on their semi-final performance if they’re to achieve their dream of clinching the treble."

Did you know?

Bayern Munich’s men won the treble under Jupp Heynckes in 2013 – and Wolfsburg’s women matched this feat in the same season under the watchful eye of Ralf Kellermann. Last Sunday the record-breaking Bavarians once again completed a trio of triumphs in the league, cup and UEFA Champions League. Will history repeat itself for the She-Wolves too?

The route to the final

VfL Wolfsburg

  • Round of 32: 15-0 (on aggregate) against KFF Mitrovica

  • Round of 16: 7-0 (on aggregate) against FC Twente

  • Quarter-final: 9-1 against Glasgow City

  • Semi-final: 1-0 against Barcelona

Olympique Lyon

  • Round of 32: 16-0 (on aggregate) against Ryazan-VDV

  • Round of 16: 11-0 (on aggregate) against Fortuna Hjorring

  • Quarter-final: 2-1 against Bayern Munich

  • Semi-final: 1-0 against Paris Saint-Germain

The rivals in numbers

VfL Wolfsburg honours

  • UEFA Women's Champions League: 2 (2013, 2014)

  • Women’s Bundesliga: 6 (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)

  • DFB Women’s Cup: 7 (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)

Olympique Lyon honours

  • UEFA Women's Champions League: 6 (2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)

  • Division 1 Féminine: 14 (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)

  • Coupe de France Féminine: 9 (2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020)