Around OL – Lyon Lands Macario in Multi-Year Deal

Lyon Signs Stanford Standout Catarina Macario

Olympique Lyonnais Féminin made another splash in the transfer market last week, signing the highly-coveted midfielder Catarina Macario through June 30, 2023.

Macario—who made her U.S. Women’s National Team debut against Colombia on Monday—is widely regarded as one of the best young prospects in the women’s game.

In an eventful week for the Brazilian-born player, Macario was also granted clearance from FIFA to represent the United States, where she has lived since she was 12, on the international stage. Macario also received her first cap with the USWNT on Monday in a 3-0 win over Columbia.

Macario drew numerous accolades during her collegiate career, winning the 2017 and 2018 ESPNW Player of the Year and the 2020 Honda Sports Award, given to the nation’s best women’s player. Notably, Macario won both the 2018 and 2019 MAC Hermann Trophy (given to the best men’s and women’s players), becoming just the sixth player to receive the award multiple times since it was founded in 1988.

“It is a pleasure to begin my professional career at OL and to be surrounded by the world’s best players,” Macario said. “OL represents victory, titles and trophies and I am looking forward to arriving in Lyon and being part of the team. I know that many American players have worn an OL shirt before me and I am honored to continue that tradition and to contribute to the team’s success. I hope to advance and become a better player.”

OL Suffers First Defeat in Four Months

Olympique Lyonnais had a 16-match unbeaten streak ended at home on Sunday. FC Metz (7-6-7, 28 points, 9th) knocked in a late game-winner as Lyon slipped from the top of the table.

Karl Toko Ekambi looked to have grabbed his 10th league goal of the season in the 74th minute when he smashed home a deflected shot that was dropping straight out of the air, but the goal was denied after referee Stephanie Frappart judged Houssem Aouar to have been offside and interfered with the play.

Aaron Leya Iseka, who came off the bench for Metz’ Mamidou Lamina Gueye, scored the game-winner in the 90th minute when he raced onto a through ball from Farid Boulaya, drew OL keeper Anthony Lopes from his goal and calmly finished it for the upset victory.

The loss was just Lyon’s second of the season through 20 matches.

OL to Face St-Étienne in Critical Derby Clash

Olympique Lyonnais (11-2-7, 40 points, 3rd)) is hoping to rebound from its recent loss, which snapped a 16-match unbeaten streak, when it travels to face archrivals St- Étienne (4-9-7, 19 points, 16th) on Sunday, January 24.

OL won the first Derby Rhône Alpes of the season in dramatic fashion back on November 8, thanks to a brace from Tino Kadewere and ASSE’s Denis Bouanga put his penalty wide of the net in the 88th minute.

A victory would help OL stay near the top of the table, after their loss to Metz saw them supplanted by PSG (13-4-3, 42 points, 1st) and OSC Lille (12-2-6, 42 points, 2nd).

St- Étienne enters the match having lost its last two matches and is winless in its last five.

OL Welcomes Slimani, Sends Dembélé Out on Loan

Olympique Lyonnais sent striker Moussa Dembélé out on loan to Atletico Madrid on January 13, with an option for the Spanish side to purchase him for $40.63 million, an additional $6.06 million in incentives and a potential 10 percent sell-on clause. The loan will run through June 30, 2021.

Dembélé has scored 45 goals in 108 matches for OL, including a brace against Manchester City in the 2019-20 Champions League quarterfinal.

In Dembélé’s absence, the club welcomed Algerian striker Islam Slimani to Lyon. Slimani, who arrives from the Premier League’s Leicester City on a free transfer, is signed through June 30, 2022. The 32-year-old joins Algerian national teammate Djamel Benlamri, with whom he won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019.

Les Fenottes Start New Year in Familiar Fashion

Olympique Lyonnais Féminin (11-1-0, 33 points, 2nd) restarted league play after the winter break with a convincing 3-0 win over Stade de Reims (3-7-2, 11 points, 9th) on Friday, January 15.

Wendie Renard recorded a brace in the win, scoring her first goal two minutes into the second half when she chipped a pass from Amandine Henry in the penalty area over a series of defenders for the game-winning goal. Renard added her second goal in the 64th minute, heading in a corner from Amel Majri at the front post for her seventh goal of the season.

Henry recorded a goal of her own in the first minute of second-half stoppage time, powering in a corner kick that was spilled to the back post as the club took three points at home.

Upcoming Matches Around OL

Paris FC vs. Olympique Lyonnais Féminin – Stade Robert Bobin, Bondoufle, France – Friday, January 22, 9:30 a.m. PT

AS Saint-Étienne vs. Olympique Lyonnais – Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne, France – Sunday, January 24, 12:00 p.m. PT