Covid ‘big inconvenience’ for Lyon after historic Champions League defeat

US forward Catarina Macario said Lyon’s elimination from the Women’s Champions League after Sunday’s 2-1 home loss to Paris Saint-Germain was down to the recent bout of coronavirus in the squad.

PSG ended the holders’ five-year unbeaten run in the tournament to reach the semi-finals on away goals.

The original last eight fixture had been moved after Lyon had registered numerous cases of the illness in their squad.

Macario’s side had won the first leg 1-0 in the French capital but the Parisians bounced back at the OL Stadium to secure a last four meeting with Barcelona.

“Unfortunately we’re at the end of a big Covid period. It didn’t help us. It was a big inconvenience,” Macario said.

“If we could have been in a better physical condition, the match would have been different, and the result could have been better. I’m sad about our elimination,” she added.

Macario, who was born in Brazil but made her US debut last year, scored early before a PSG comeback.

France midfielder Grace Geyoro equalised after 25 minutes with a rifling shot into the top corner before Wendie Renard’s second-half own goal which won the tie for PSG.

Forward Kadidiatou Diani broke down the right and Lyon captain Renard guided her dangerous cross into her own net on the hour mark.

In the other semi-final Bayern Munich face Chelsea with the first legs on April 24-25 and the return legs on May 1-2.