Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the UEFA Women's Champions League match.
In last season's UEFA Women's Champions League, Lyon made it to the final, where they were defeated by unstoppable Barcelona (0:2). Lyon begin their new European campaign against Galatasaray, for whom reaching the Champions League's final stages is already a significant achievement.
Lyon (women)
At the start of the current campaign, Lyon have not managed to break away from Saint-Étienne and PSG, who also secured nine points from the first three rounds of the league. However, they boast the best goal difference (16:2), with their weekend victory over Montpellier (4:0) showcasing Lyon’s controlled style. The team dominated possession with 71% and did not allow a single shot on target during the 90 minutes – the advanced 3-3-3-1 formation is proving effective.
Galatasaray (women)
To reach the Champions League group stage, Galatasaray overcame three opponents in the qualifiers, with Prague's Slavia offering serious competition (2:2 and 2:1 after extra time). In their domestic league, they are neck-and-neck on points lost with Fenerbahçe – the team has conceded just one goal in this competition. In the Champions League, the Istanbul team won't take unnecessary risks against top opponents – they have enough skilled players to launch quick counter-attacks.
Lyon (women) vs Galatasaray (women) Prediction
Lyon are likely to secure an easy win over Galatasaray, but at the start of the season, the Champions League favourites will conserve their energy. It is crucial for the French side to gradually build up their form.
