PARIS (AP) — 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 has taken over as the leading team in the sport. The Catalan giant is going for a third straight title and fourth overall.
Barcelona is led by the flair and drive of two-time Ballon d'Or winners Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí. They have shared the last four awards, making it four straight for the club, and both scored in last year's final against Lyon in front of a record crowd of 51,000.
Lyon and Barcelona have met in the final in three of the past six seasons and could clash again — provided they get past Arsenal and Chelsea in the semifinals.
Lyon travels to Arsenal for a lunchtime first leg on Saturday and Barcelona hosts Chelsea on Sunday evening.
When Lyon won the Champions League for the first time, it beat Arsenal in the semifinals.
The second legs are held the following Sunday, with the final taking place on May 24 at Lisbon’s 50,000-capacity Estádio José Alvalade.
North Londoner Arsenal won the tournament in 2007 when it was called the Super Cup, and is the only English team to do so. West Londoner Chelsea has reached the final once, in 2021, but was routed 4-0 as Barca won its first title.
The contest was so one-sided that Barcelona scored after 32 seconds and was 4-0 up at the break.
If Arsenal and Chelsea get through it would be only the third same-nation final in the competition.
Chelsea overturned a 2-0 deficit from the first leg to knock out Manchester City 3-2 on aggregate, thanks to goals from Frenchwoman Sandy Baltimore, Swede Nathalie Björn and Colombian Mayra Ramírez.
In the first leg, City had ended Chelsea’s long unbeaten run under coach Sonia Bompastor.
The 44-year-old Frenchwoman won the competition twice as a player with Lyon and once as a coach — when Lyon beat Barcelona 3-1 in 2022 in front of 32,000 fans.
It was business as usual for Barcelona, which routed 2023 runner-up Wolfsburg 6-1 in the second leg for a 10-2 aggregate victory.
Winger Salma Paralluelo and forward Clàudia Pina each scored twice as Barcelona took its goal tally to 36 in eight games, while María León and Putellas showed their passing skills.
Lyon outclassed Bayern Munich 6-1 on aggregate with Hegerberg among the scorers. In-form England striker Alessia Russo netted twice as Arsenal advanced with a 3-0 win over Real Madrid after losing 2-0 in Spain.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Olympique Lyonnais soccer player Ada Hegerberg celebrates with the Women's Ballon d'Or award during the Golden Ball award ceremony at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, Dec. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
Spain's Aitana Bonmati, right, challenges for the ball with Portugal's Dolores Silvia during the Women¥s Nations League Group A3 soccer match between Spain and Portugal at the Balaidos stadium in Vigo, Spain, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Lalo Villar)
Liverpool's Olivia Smith and Chelsea's Sandy Baltimore, right, battle for the ball during the Women's FA Cup semi-final match between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Kingsmeadow in London, Saturday April 12, 2025. (Rhianna Chadwick/PA via AP)
TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday that he will visit U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday. The high-stakes meeting comes as Trump continues his trade war and annexation threats.
Carney's Liberal Party scored a stunning comeback victory in a vote widely seen as a rebuke of Trump, whose trade war and attacks on Canadian sovereignty outraged voters.
“We are meeting as heads of our government,” Carney said. “I am not pretending those discussions will be easy.”
In his first comments since election night, Carney said that Canadians elected a new government to stand up to Trump and build a strong economy.
Carney also said that King Charles III will deliver a speech outlining the Canadian government's priorities on May 27, when Parliament resumes. Charles is the head of state in Canada, which is a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies.
Queen Elizabeth II delivered the speech twice, in 1957 and 1977.
"That clearly underscores the sovereignty of our country,” Carney said.
Carney has emphasized Canada's founding nations, the United Kingdom and France, since becoming prime minister after the resignation of Justin Trudeau. Carney repeated that the old relationship with the U.S. based on steadily increasing integration is over.
"On Tuesday, I had a very constructive call with President Trump, and we agreed to meet next Tuesday in Washington," Carney said. “My government will fight to get the best deal for Canada.”
Carney previously said that Canada’s close friendship with the U.S. has ended and that the 80-year period when the U.S. embraced the mantle of global economic leadership and forged alliances rooted in trust and mutual respect is over.
Trump mocked Carney’s predecessor by calling him Governor Trudeau. He hasn’t trolled Carney.
Robert Bothwell, a University of Toronto professor of Canadian history and international relations, said that Carney shouldn't go to Washington, because he risks Trump insulting Canada and him too.
“There is absolutely no reason to. You can’t bargain with Trump. His word is not his bond. It’s like writing on the water of a pond, a scummy pond. We have nothing to gain,” Bothwell said.
Carney also outlined the priorities of his new government four days after Canadians voted in the Liberals for a fourth mandate. He said that a new Cabinet would be sworn in on May 12.
“Now the election is over, and we are in a once-in-a-lifetime crisis. It’s time to come together, to put on our Team Canada sweaters, and win big,” Carney said. “Now is the time for ambition, to be bold, to meet this crisis with the overwhelming, positive force of a united Canada.”
He said that he will call for an election for a specific district as soon as possible if the opposition Conservatives want Pierre Poilievre, who lost his own seat in the election, to run in a by-election so he can sit in the House of Commons.
“No games, nothing like that,” Carney said.
The Conservative Party announced shortly after that a current Conservative member of Parliament from Alberta will resign so Poilievre can run in that district.
Carney said that he had a constructive conversation with Poilievre about Canada's strategy with the Americans.
“I am in politics to do big things, not to be something,” Carney said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney laughs as he responds to a question during a news conference, in Ottawa, Friday, May 2, 2025. (Adrian Wyld /The Canadian Press via AP)
Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a news conference, in Ottawa, Friday, May 2, 2025. (Adrian Wyld /The Canadian Press via AP)
Prime Minister Mark Carney waves to a member of the public as he walks through downtown during a news conference, in Ottawa, Friday, May 2, 2025. (Adrian Wyld /The Canadian Press via AP)
Prime Minister Mark Carney smiles as he takes his seat at his first news conference since winning the federal election, in Ottawa, Friday, May 2, 2025. (Adrian Wyld /The Canadian Press via AP)
Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a news conference in Ottawa, Friday, May 2, 2025. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)
Prime Minister Mark Carney is seen during a news conference, in Ottawa, Friday, May 2, 2025. (Adrian Wyld /The Canadian Press via AP)
Security keeps a person from the right-wing media group Rebel News away from Prime Minister Mark Carney as he walks to a news conference, in Ottawa, Friday, May 2, 2025. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)
Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a news conference in Ottawa, Friday, May 2, 2025. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)
Prime Minister Mark Carney walks to his first news conference after winning the federal election, in Ottawa, Friday, May 2, 2025. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)
Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a news conference in Ottawa, Friday, May 2, 2025. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)
