BERLIN (AP) — Trophy-holder Arsenal faces eight-time champion Lyon and Barcelona is bidding to reach the Women’s Champions League final for the sixth straight year.
Bayern Munich is the only semifinalist that hasn’t appeared in a final, but it seems only a matter of time before it does after the German powerhouse wrapped up a fourth successive Bundesliga title on Wednesday after an almost flawless domestic campaign.
Bayern hosts Barcelona on Saturday in the first leg of their semifinal and will hope to make amends after the Catalan club romped to a 7-1 win in their last meeting in the league phase.
Here is a closer look at this weekend’s semifinal first legs:
Barcelona is on a quest to win its fourth title after losing the final to Arsenal last year. The team’s form looks ominous for Bayern after losing just once across all competitions this season, a league defeat in November at Real Sociedad. Barcelona reached the semifinals after a 12-2 aggregate win over old rival Real Madrid, while also beating Madrid 3-0 away between the quarterfinal legs.
Barcelona has 10 more goals, 32 in total, than any other team, and has conceded five, the fewest. Ewa Pajor has scored seven and Alexia Putellas has chipped in five while setting up another seven.
Barcelona has also won its last 19 two-legged ties in the competition.
This is a repeat of last year’s semifinal and another reunion of teams that met in the opening round, where Lyon rallied to win 2-1 in London.
The French champion has won on each of its five previous visits.
Last season, Arsenal rallied to beat Lyon 4-1 away in the second leg of their semifinal after losing the first leg 2-1.
Lyon’s Melchie Dumornay and Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey scored in both legs of that tie.
Lyon’s 1-0 defeat at Wolfsburg in the quarterfinals was its first loss of the season. It bounced back in the second leg to win in extra time 4-0.
Arsenal’s form has been mixed. It prevailed over Chelsea by a 3-2 aggregate but lost the second leg 1-0 and followed with a 2-0 loss at home to Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup last weekend.
The return matches will be in May. The final will be in Oslo on May 23.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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