Lyon needs Renard and Hegerberg to shine against Arsenal in women’s CL semis, Barca faces Chelsea
PARIS: When Wendie Renard scored in front of 14,000 fans in the women’s Champions League final 14 years ago, she helped Lyon win the trophy for the first time. Seven more titles and much bigger crowds have followed since for Renard and Lyon, along with a truck-load of domestic trophies. The 34-year-old Frenchwoman has scored more than 150 goals for the club in almost 500 appearances, a remarkable ratio for a central defender. Lyon teammate Ada Hegerberg — the first Ballon d’Or winner — is in her 11th season at the club and has won the competition six times. She scored a hat trick in the 4-1 rout of Barcelona in the 2019 final. They are among the most iconic names in women’s soccer and Lyon might need big performances from both to win a record-extending ninth European crown. Lyon’s last victory came three years ago and since then Barcelona have taken over as the leading team in the sport.