Preview: Arsenal Women vs Lyon Women - prediction, team news, lineups

Arsenal Women will start the defence of the Women's Champions League trophy when they welcome Lyon Women to Meadow Park on Tuesday.

The contest will take place on the first matchday of the inaugural league phase, which will see all 18 teams play six games each in a bid to reach the knockout rounds. 

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Match preview

Arsenal enter the 2025-26 Women's Champions League as the reigning champions after getting the better of Barcelona in May's final in Lisbon.

The Gunners carried the momentum from their European triumph into the start of the new Women's Super League campaign, as they kicked off the season with dominant victories over London City Lionesses and West Ham United.

However, all of that momentum has effectively been quashed by a three-game winless run, which has featured back-to-back draws against Aston Villa and Manchester United. 

Arsenal then slumped to their first defeat of the season in Saturday's away clash against Manchester City, despite coming from behind on two occasions at the Joie Stadium.

Goals from Mariona Caldentey and Chloe Kelly proved to be in vain, as Iman Beney's late winner condemned Arsenal to a 3-2 loss, leaving them in fifth place and five points adrift of WSL leaders Chelsea.

The Gunners are now preparing for another tough game in their UWCL opener, although they will look to draw inspiration from the 4-1 away win that they pulled off in April's semi-final second leg against Lyon. 

OL Lyonnes will be hoping that Tuesday's fixture is the start of a long journey to lifting their ninth European trophy, and their first since claiming the silverware in the 2021-22 season. 

Lyon enter their latest UWCL campaign under the tutelage of former Barcelona boss Jonatan Giraldez, who is back in the European game following a brief stint with sister club Washington Spirit in the National Women's Soccer League. 

Giraldez has made a blistering start to his tenure, having seen his side rack up 19 goals across four successive Premiere Ligue victories. 

They put six past rivals Paris Saint-Germain at the end of September, before they dismantled Lens via an 8-1 scoreline in Friday's away clash, ensuring that they finished the weekend as the only team in the French top flight with a perfect record.

In total, Lyon have recorded seven consecutive victories since they fell to a heavy defeat in April's semi-final clash against Arsenal - a result which will surely act as motivation for Tuesday's trip to England. 

The record European champions have won each of their previous three away games against the Gunners, including a 2-1 win in the first leg of last season's semi-final tie. 

Arsenal Women form (all competitions):

Lyon Women form (all competitions):

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Team News

Arsenal remain without key defender Leah Williamson, who is continuing to recover from a knee injury that she sustained at Euro 2025. 

Kelly is pushing to make her second start of the season after coming off the bench to score against her former club on Saturday. 

Defender Katie Reid and midfielder Frida Maanum could come into Slegers's thinking after dropping down to the bench at the weekend. 

As for the visitors, they are set to recall a number of key players after making wholesale changes for the 8-1 win over Lens. 

Wendie Renard, Selma Bacha, Lindsey Heaps and Jule Brand are among those who could come into the starting lineup.

Having started three of Lyon's opening four games, Ada Hegerberg will be hoping to get the nod over Marie-Antoinette Katoto in the battle for the number nine spot. 

Arsenal Women possible starting lineup:

Van Domselaar; Fox, Reid, Catley, Maanum, Pelova; Kelly, Caldentey, Foord; Russo

Lyon Women possible starting lineup:

Endler; Tarciane, Renard, Engen, Bacha; Albert, Heaps; Chawinga, Dumornay, Brand; Hegerberg

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We say: Arsenal Women 1-2 Lyon Women

Arsenal may be the reigning European champions, but they are enduring a difficult run of form, and with Lyon full of confidence following an impressive start to the season, we think that the visitors will do enough to leave Meadow Park with all three points.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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