It's Arsenal-Lyon and Bayern-Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League semifinals

BERLIN (AP) — Trophy-holder Arsenal faces eight-time champion Lyon and Barcelona is bidding to reach the Women’s Champions League final for the sixth straight year.

Bayern Munich is the only semifinalist that hasn’t appeared in a final, but it seems only a matter of time before it does after the German powerhouse wrapped up a fourth successive Bundesliga title on Wednesday after an almost flawless domestic campaign.

Bayern hosts Barcelona on Saturday in the first leg of their semifinal and will hope to make amends after the Catalan club romped to a 7-1 win in their last meeting in the league phase.

Here is a closer look at this weekend’s semifinal first legs:

Barcelona is on a quest to win its fourth title after losing the final to Arsenal last year. The team’s form looks ominous for Bayern after losing just once across all competitions this season, a league defeat in November at Real Sociedad. Barcelona reached the semifinals after a 12-2 aggregate win over old rival Real Madrid, while also beating Madrid 3-0 away between the quarterfinal legs.

Barcelona has 10 more goals, 32 in total, than any other team, and has conceded five, the fewest. Ewa Pajor has scored seven and Alexia Putellas has chipped in five while setting up another seven.

Barcelona has also won its last 19 two-legged ties in the competition.

This is a repeat of last year’s semifinal and another reunion of teams that met in the opening round, where Lyon rallied to win 2-1 in London.

The French champion has won on each of its five previous visits.

Last season, Arsenal rallied to beat Lyon 4-1 away in the second leg of their semifinal after losing the first leg 2-1.

Lyon’s Melchie Dumornay and Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey scored in both legs of that tie.

Lyon’s 1-0 defeat at Wolfsburg in the quarterfinals was its first loss of the season. It bounced back in the second leg to win in extra time 4-0.

Arsenal’s form has been mixed. It prevailed over Chelsea by a 3-2 aggregate but lost the second leg 1-0 and followed with a 2-0 loss at home to Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup last weekend.

The return matches will be in May. The final will be in Oslo on May 23.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Bayern's Magdalena Eriksson, right, and Bayern's Barbara Dunst celebrate their side's second goal during a German women's Bundesliga soccer match between 1.FC Union Berlin and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Munich players celebrate winning the German championship after a German women's Bundesliga soccer match between 1.FC Union Berlin and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Bayern's Giulia Gwinn celebrates her side's third goal during a German women's Bundesliga soccer match between 1.FC Union Berlin and Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Lamine Yamal will miss the rest of Barcelona’s season but should be healed from a leg injury in time to play for Spain at the World Cup, the club said on Thursday.

Barcelona said 18-year-old Yamal will miss the remaining six La Liga games for the leaders as he follows a “conservative treatment” process to heal a muscle injury in his left leg that he picked up on Wednesday while converting a penalty in a 1-0 win over Celta Vigo.

The club added in a statement that its doctors “foresee that (Yamal) will be available for the World Cup.”

Yamal is supposed to make his World Cup debut this summer. Spain's campaign starts against Cape Verde on June 15 in Atlanta.

“This injury sidelines me just when I most wanted to be on the field,” Yamal wrote in an Instagram post. “It hurts that I won't be fighting alongside my teammates. But I believe in them and know that they will give it their all in every game.”

Yamal has emerged as one of the world’s top players since making his Barcelona debut at a record-breaking 15 years old. He helped to lead Spain to the 2024 European Championship and is a major reason why Luis de la Fuente’s team is among the favorites this summer thanks to his dribbling, creativity and ability to both score and set up teammates.

Yamal went down after he scored the winner against Celta in the 40th minute and immediately looked to the bench to signal he was hurt. He dropped to the ground as his teammates arrived to celebrate, then appeared to grab the back of his left leg.

Yamal left the field on his own after being attended by doctors. He talked briefly with coach Hansi Flick on the sidelines before walking into the locker room tunnel by himself.

Barcelona leads Real Madrid by nine points with two more rounds before they meet at Camp Nou on May 10.

Barcelona will start its run-in without Yamal on Saturday when it visits Getafe. Flick could replace Yamal on the right side with winger Roony Bardghji or mix up his front line and play with an extra midfielder.

Yamal leads Barcelona in scoring (24) and assists (18) across all competitions.

“This is not over. This is just a pause,” Yamal wrote in his social media post. “I will come back stronger and more motivated than ever and next season will be even better.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal lies on the pitch in pain during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Celta Vigo in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)