20 December 2022
The last group match of this season's UEFA Women's Champions League draws closer and the challenge is of the highest order. Juventus Women visit the home of the defending champions Olympique Lyonnais in the knowledge that only victory will see the Bianconere through to the last-8 of Europe's premier competition.
Before the teams take to the field at the Groupama Stadium on Wednesday 21 December at 18:45 CET we catch up on the form of the eight-time European champions, who we first met this season here.
EUROPEAN FORM
Since the record European loss to Arsenal on Matchday 1 - never before had any defending champions lost by a 5-1 scoreline and never had Lyon themselves succumbed to such a heavy setback in Europe - the reigning European champions have remained undefeated in the subsequent four matches.
The Matchday 2 draw with the Bianconeri was the last time Sonia Bompastor's side have dropped points in Group C and also the last time they have let in a goal. Back to back wins over FC Zurich, with an aggregate score of 7-0, was followed up with a 1-0 win last week at Arsenal
The own-goal from the Gunners' Frida Maanum in first-half stoppage time at the Emirates Stadium rewarded Lyon with full points from the nine available from the most recent three fixtures, a run which has pushed them into shared first place in the group standings on 10 points, equal with Arsenal, who are sure of qualification due to their better head-to-head record with both Lyon and the Bianconere.
On eight points, Juventus know all three points are a must on Wednesday at Parc OL, where not only Arsenal have won this season.
DOMESTIC FORM
Olympique Lyon currently sit in second place in Division 1 Féminine, one point behind Paris Saint Germain, having won nine, drawn one and lost one of the 11 matches played so far.
France's top two teams met on December 11, the last league fixture of 2022. The team from Paris emerged victorious thanks to an 87th minute winner despite Lyon's 20 shots to PSG's six.
The setback ended a 45-match unbeaten run in the league and was the French champions only home league loss since 18 January 2014, when it was PSG again that put an end to a series of 95 matches without loss.
The goal scored by Kadidiatou Diani on Matchday 11 for the Parisian side was only the third conceded in all competitions by Lyon following a Melvine Malard own goal at the Allianz Stadium that gave Juventus a share of the points the last time the two sides met.
Since the 1-1 draw on Matchday 2, Lyon have kept seven clean sheets in their 10 matches at home and abroad and have gone over 300 minutes of Champions League football since picking the ball out of the net.
Juventus know the entity of the task that awaits them, but as always, Joe Montemurro's side will know how to rise to the occasion.
