Lyon Dominate as Atlético Crumble in Champions League Rout

LYON, FRANCE — Kadidiatou Diani delivered a masterclass performance as Lyon secured a comprehensive 4-0 victory over 12th-placed Atlético Madrid, dominating from first whistle to last at Groupama Stadium. The French giants controlled 66.8% of possession and launched 32 shots at goal compared to Atlético Madrid's meager two, turning the Champions League encounter into a relentless attacking exhibition.

The floodgates opened in the 30th minute when Atlético defender Vilde Bøe Risa turned the ball into her own net under intense Lyon pressure. The home side's relentless assault on the Spanish visitors' goal had finally yielded reward, and the Groupama Stadium crowd sensed more goals were inevitable. Their instincts proved correct just seven minutes into the second half when Wendie Renard stepped up to convert a penalty with a composed right-footed finish to the center of the goal, doubling Lyon's advantage. Barely a minute later, Diani struck with clinical precision, firing a right-footed shot from the center of the box to the bottom right corner after excellent work from Tarciane. Korbin Shrader added the fourth in the 71st minute, rifling a right-footed effort from outside the box to the center of the goal following a clever assist from Damaris Egurrola.

Lyon's midfield dominance was absolute, with Damaris Egurrola and Lindsey Heaps controlling the tempo and dictating play throughout. Wendie Renard marshaled the defense with authority, rarely troubled by Atlético's toothless attack. At the other end, Atlético goalkeeper Lola Gallardo produced a heroic performance with five saves, preventing an even more embarrassing scoreline. The Spanish keeper was called into action repeatedly, denying Selma Bacha, Marie-Antoinette Katoto, and several other Lyon attackers who queued up for opportunities.

Despite 32 attempts, Lyon managed just eight on target, highlighting occasional wastefulness in the final third. Lyon's pressure yielded eight corners compared to Atlético's solitary set piece, illustrating the territorial dominance. The match turned increasingly one-sided when Atlético were reduced to nine men following a red card, leaving the visitors clinging desperately to damage limitation. The disciplinary blow extinguished any faint hopes of a comeback, with Lyon content to control proceedings in the closing stages.

The turning point came with Renard's penalty conversion early in the second half. That goal broke Atlético's resistance and opened the floodgates, with Diani's quick-fire response just 60 seconds later crushing any remaining Spanish spirit. From that moment, the match became an exhibition of Lyon's attacking prowess, with substitutes Korbin Shrader, Marie-Antoinette Katoto, and Jule Brand all introduced to maintain the intensity. Melchie Dumornay and Tabitha Chawinga continued to torment Atlético's beleaguered defense, creating chance after chance as the visitors retreated deeper.

Looking ahead, Lyon travel to face FC Fleury 91 on December 20, while Atlético Madrid travel to face Alhama on December 21.