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OL Lyonnes moved to the top of the UEFA Women’s Champions League standings following a draw between FC Barcelona and Arsenal, taking control of their European destiny with two group matches remaining.
The French club seized first place in the group stage after FC Barcelona and Arsenal played to a 1-1 draw on Thursday, according to Olympique & Lyonnais. Both Lyon and Barcelona sit on ten points through four matches, leading the competition.
Lyon holds the top spot over the Catalan side strictly on goal difference, boasting a plus-20 mark compared to Barcelona’s plus-17. Jonatan Giráldez’s squad controls its own path to finish the opening phase in first place by winning its remaining two fixtures.
Lyon plays Arsenal, currently fourth in the standings, in London this Thursday at 21:00 CET. A victory against Arsenal would practically guarantee a top-two finish for the French side before they close out the group stage against BK Häcken on December 16.
“En cas de succès, les Rhodaniennes seraient quasiment assurées de finir dans le top 2,” the report noted regarding the upcoming trip to face Wendie Renard’s teammates.
While Lyon travels to England, FC Barcelona prepares to face Servette FC before traveling to Germany to meet the current third-place side, Bayern Munich. Both European favorites face difficult tests as the group stage narrows toward its conclusion.
Matches on December 16 conclude the first phase of the tournament.