By Rob Cole
She already has one Uefa Women’s Champions League winners’ medal, but Jess Fishlock doesn’t really count that one.
But now the 31-year-old Welsh midfield star is on course to earn the biggest gong of her incredible, globe-trotting career after helping to steer the reigning champions Lyon into the semi-finals of this year’s tournament.
But if she is to add to the medal awarded to her in 2015 by FFC Frankfurt after their success – she played in all the games up to the final, but missed that game because she had to return to Seattle Reign after her loan period expired – it will have to be at the expense of her national team captain.
As well as Fishlock’s Lyon, the final four will also feature a Chelsea side containing Sophie Ingle. She has been an ever-present since joining the London club this season and also has an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City to look forward to next month.
But it will be the two-legged clash with record five time winners Lyon in the Champions League that will dominate the thinking of a Chelsea camp seeking to reach a first European final. They had a 91st minute goal from Maren Mjelde to thank for earning them victory over PSG in Paris as they went through 3-2 on aggregate.
Lyon beat Wolfsburg 2-1 at home and then 4-2 away in what was a repeat of last season’s final. They are now chasing four wins in a row. The other semi-final sees Bayern Munich face Barcelona.
