88 MIN: GOAL! Lyon 0-3 BAYERN MUNICH –Lewandowski (Bayern) scores!

Double Lyon substitution

67min: Here comes a double change from Lyon as they look to force a way back into this game. Jeff Reine-Adelaide replaces Karl Ekambi while Kenny Tete comes on for Leo Dubois.

Bayern Munich substitution

63min: Having come on at half-time, Niklas Sule already looks like he is struggling with a knock. He is staying on for now though as Kingsley Coman replaces Ivan Perisic in Bayern Munich’s second switch.

MATCH UPDATE

*Bayern unbeaten; Lewandowski on 14 goals

*Lyon’s second semi-final appearance

*Winners face Paris in Sunday final

58 min: Substitution – Dembélé (in) – Depay (out) (Lyon).

Süle coming on for Boateng wasn’t an expected substitution. The German commentator suggested the change might be about saving his energy for the final, rather than it being injury-related.

SECOND HALF: Changes for both teams as Lyon restart

Lyon send on Thiago Mendes for Bruno Guimaraes in defensive midfield, while Bayern Munich replace Jerome Boateng with Niklas Sule at centre-back. Both changes look like they are injury influenced.

Substitution

Mendes (in) – Bruno Guimarães (out) (Lyon).

Substitution

Süle (in) – Boateng (out) (Bayern).

The referee blows for half-time.

Gooooal!

Gnabry (Bayern) scores!

GOAL! Lyon 0-1 BAYERN MUNICH

18min: What a goal this is! It’s eight goals in nine games for Serge Gnabry and I doubt any of them are better than this.

Picking the ball up from the right touchline, he cuts inside dodging a couple of challenges before from 23 yards he blasts into the top corner. It’s world class, it really its.

BAYERN MUNICH

Bayern Munich were able to seal their spot in the semifinals after battering Barca 8-2 last Friday.

Their attention had likely already shifted to today’s showdown with Lyon. Will they make it another harvest of goals?  

The juggernaut, helmed by Hansi Flick, shows no signs of faltering after the comprehensive thumping. Bayern handed Chelsea their worst-ever aggregate defeat in a European tie, and often didn’t appear to have broken a sweat. They did the same to Barcelona.

Will Lyon be their next victims?

LYON

There were fears that the two Ligue 1 clubs remaining in the Champions League after Ligue 1 was called to an early finish would have suffered from a lack of preparation. But Lyon have blown that preconception well and truly out of the water.

They overcame Juventus and sealed a quarter-final spot in what was only their second competitive game in five months. Lyon appeared in top physical condition, despite their defeat in Turin, and deserved their eventual triumph on away goals.  

Memphis Depay had bullishly predicted that Lyon were fearless and capable of springing an upset, and he was proved right. 

The Dutchman also highlighted the newly-introduced single-leg format and now believes that ‘anyone can be favourites’.

However, that may not be the case for Rudi Garcia’s troops for their next clash. They face Manchester City, one of the favourites to win the competition for the first time in their history.    Lyon will need to replicate the defiance which saw them narrowly lose out to Paris Saint-Germain in the French League Cup final last month in order to pose any real threat of reaching the final four.  

Bayern have also shattered countless records during their run to Lisbon. They became the second-ever team to have won every single Champions League game so far this season. They have also scored the most goals in this season’s tournament, with 31 in total. That tally is sensationally 11 higher than the next closest team, Paris Saint-Germain. 

Flick became only the third coach in history to guide his side to a win in his first five Champions League matches. His achievements have been rendered even more impressive considering the mess he had inherited from predecessor Niko Kovac in November. 

Of course, it always helps that serial scorer Robert Lewandowski has netted the most goals in the competition with 13. Bayern are the favourites in many peoples’ eyes, and understandably so. 

The second semi final of the Champions League is about to begin. It pitches French Ligue 1 side, Lyon against Germany’s Bayern Munich. The winner will face Paris Saint-Germain in the final.

Will the final match be an all-French duel? Will it be a Franco- German confrontation as this semi final match is? The events of the next one hour and a half will decide.

Meanwhile, both Lyon and Bayern Munich are unchanged from their quarterfinal matches.

  Lyon starting XI: Lopes, Denayer, Marcelo, Marcal, Dubois, Caqueret, Bruno Guimaraes, Aouar, Cornet, Depay, Toko Ekambi

Bayern Munich starting XI: Neuer, Kimmich, Boateng, Alaba, Davies, Thiago, Goretzka, Gnabry, Muller, Perisic, Lewandowski