“We Know What Lyon Can Do” Magdalena Eriksson on Bayern’s Champions League Mission

Magdalena Eriksson knows exactly what Bayern Munich will be walking into when they step onto the Bayern Campus on Wednesday. The defender has stood in this arena before, under different colours, against the same familiar threat: Olympique Lyonnais, Europe’s most decorated side. Now, as Bayern prepare to face Lyon in the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final, Eriksson’s past encounters are front of mind. 

“I remember how tough they made it for us when I was at Chelsea,” she says of Olympique Lyonnais, Bayern’s UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final opponent. “You think you’ve got them. But they don’t go away.” 

It’s the kind of warning that only experience delivers. Back in the 22/23 season, Eriksson captained Chelsea through a gruelling tie with Lyon that stretched to penalties at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea survived, barely, but Lyon’s persistence still lingers in her mind. 

“They’re just a powerhouse,” she says. “They’ve been in every scenario you can think of, and they always find a way to stay in the game.” 

That experience has shaped how Eriksson views the challenge ahead. Where others might see 90-minute matches split across two legs, she sees something more demanding. 

A Game of Four Halves

“It’s not just one game,” she explains. “It’s a game of four halves. Lyon are too experienced and too dangerous to think you can finish them off early. You have to manage every moment, over both nights.” 

This is no generic media line. Eriksson has lived through Lyon’s late surges, their uncanny ability to grind opponents down across two legs. “Even if you think you’re on top in the first game, they’ll adjust and come at you in the second,” she adds. “We have to be ready for both nights.” 

Back at the Top Table

Bayern are back in the Champions League quarterfinals after a frustrating absence last season. Eriksson arrived last summer to help plug that gap, bringing title-winning experience from her years at Chelsea. 

“We were gutted to miss out,” she admits. “A club like Bayern belongs in these kinds of games.” 

Eriksson has helped Bayern reach the top of the Frauen-Bundesliga this season, ahead of rivals Wolfsburg. But Europe, she insists, is where the club wants to prove itself. 

“We’ve shown what we can do domestically,” she says. “But if you want to be seen as one of the top clubs, you have to compete against the best in Europe.” 

Lyon’s Evolution

What makes this quarter-final harder to predict is Lyon’s refreshed attack. “They’ve added Dumornay, Diani, Chawinga – players who can create something out of nothing,” Eriksson says. “You can defend perfectly, and they still find that moment.” 

Yet Lyon’s core is familiar. Wendie Renard, the towering figure in defense, still leads the squad. Lindsey Heaps (née Horan), Eugenie Le Sommer, and other seasoned winners provide the tournament savvy Eriksson fears most. “It’s not just the individuals,” she says. “It’s that they’ve been here so many times.” 

A New Foundation at Bayern

In Eriksson, Bayern have their own battle-hardened leader. Under Alexander Straus, the Bavarians boast one of Europe’s stingiest defensive lines this season. 

“Defensively, we’re disciplined and connected,” Eriksson says. “We know Lyon will challenge that with their pace and sharpness, but we’re ready.” 

The first leg will be played at Bayern’s FC Bayern Campus, with Eriksson emphasizing how critical it is to take something tangible to France. “You have to use your home advantage in the first game,” she says. “But also, not lose your head thinking it can all be won in one night.”

The Bigger Picture

Eriksson is entering the peak years for a centre-back. A Champions League medal still eludes her, despite a glittering club career in Sweden and England. “That’s why I came here,” she says with quiet resolve. “To help Bayern take that next step.” 

There’s no false bravado. Just a calm understanding that against Lyon, there’s no margin for error. 

“You learn quickly with them,” she says. “You blink, and it’s over.” 

It's a fight for a ticket to the semifinals. Watch FC Bayern Munich vs Olympique Lyonnais in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Women's Champions League live for free on DAZN.