Former Arsenal and Chelsea striker Lianne Sanderson believes that her old clubs do not have enough to reverse the semi-final of their Women's Champions League this weekend.
Arsenal suffered a 2-1 defeat against Lyon in the Emirates last Saturday, where Melchie Dumornay scored a late winner after Mariona Caldentey was razed.
In the meantime, Chelsea was defeated 4-1 away from home by Barcelona, ​​while the four-fold blues of Sonia Bompastor struggled to have toe with the holders.
Lyon has won all nine of their Champions League matches this season and has a good record against Arsenal and won five of their last six outings against them in the competition (L1).
Arsenal has in fact not won any of their last four knockout matches in the Champions League (D1 L3), and did not score in all three of those defeats.
Sanderson, who came to Arsenal through the youth system, believes that, although they still have a chance, given the score, the Gunners will have trouble overcoming the eight times champions.
“Everyone kept saying that they would beat Lyon.” They are two of the best teams ever. So they still win.
“It is 2-1, but I think the score has spotted a bit. The first 20 minutes of the game had the feeling that Lyon could have been two or three [goals] upwards.
“Dumornay, [Kadidiatou] Diani, [Tabitha] Chawinga, they were incredible. And the midfield of Lyon, Lindsey Heaps, I think it is the best game I have seen her play. I don't think the midfield of Arsenal could come close to Lyon.
“You could say, you know, why was Arsenal's back line surprised by Dumornay? Well, they were not surprised. There are some players that you just can't mark.
“I think Arsenal is certainly still in it, but it's against them. They are unbeaten, Lyon in this competition this season. They have the quality. And I feel that they have always had an answer.
“And Alessia Russo hit the bar, there was a half -chances.
“So, Arsenal is still there. We have to believe.”
Sanderson pointed to a lack of depth in the Arsenal team as her reasoning to support Lyon, and noted that the French side has more quality among their team.
“I just think that Arsenal does not have enough world -class players,” she added. “Mariona Caldentey, I think a top player is world class. She did it in Barcelona.
“You look at Caitlin Foord, Katie McCabe, top players, but when I look at world class, you look at Lyon, you look at Barcelona, ​​they have world class everywhere in the field of world class.
“Wendie Renard wasn't even on the field during the weekend. This is the kind of power and depth that these teams have, and I don't think Arsenal has it.”
Chelsea closes the title of the Women's Super League in their first season under Bompastor, but they have not translated their competition -dominance into the first stage of last Sunday against Barca.
The blues only managed four shots, with two of those on goal, compared to 19 attempts for their hosts and nine on goal.
Chelsea has lost both earlier Home Champions League matches against Barcelona without scoring a single goal, and could lose at home in three consecutive seasons in the semi-final, after this in 2022-23 (0-1) and 2023-24 (0-2).
“On the other hand, Chelsea-Barcelona, ​​I think it's ready,” said Sanderson.
“I think Chelsea will score. I think they can score, but I just don't think they can prevent Barcelona to score. It's already 4-1 [if] Barcelona first scores, that is 5-1.
And I mean, [Aitana] Bolmati, [Alexia] Putellas, [Salma] Paralluelo didn't even have their best match during the weekend.
“I think there is a lot of emphasis on Keira Walsh and Lucy Bronze because it is against their earlier side. But what you see of these teams, they are individually brilliant and as a team they are brilliant.
“Mapi Leon was back at the weekend. She had a brilliant game. They are all like gears in a motorcycle. Claudia Pina comes from the couch, such as like [Ewa] Pajor scores and Pina comes from the bank and scores two goals. They just have the quality, and I just don't think Chelsea, for whatever reason, it is almost like a psychological thing.
“When Chelsea plays against Barcelona, ​​it is as if they can't get it over the line. In the final a few years ago the same; it was over in 20 minutes, 3-0 down.
“Semi-final Last year people can be packed on Kadeisha Buchanan. It should not have been a second yellow, let's be honest, but that was not the reason why Chelsea lost that game.
“Caroline Graham Hansen, we didn't even talk about her. She didn't even have her best game at the weekend, and they still defeated Chelsea 4-1. So it is at Stamford Bridge, there have been 20,000 tickets sold, I hope they will continue to sell more, but I just think they will not be able to stop, I don't think they can stop worrying.”