We’ll go up against the seven-time Ligue Un champions in April – our fifth and sixth meetings with Les Gones, after pairs of Champions League battles in 2004 and 2008.
United are unbeaten against the team from France’s second-largest city, winning both Old Trafford encounters after draws in Lyon, but the picture has altered dramatically for our upcoming opponents in the 17 years since our most recent rendezvous.
Lyon’s septet of championships all arrived consecutively, between 2002 and 2008, under the ambitious businessman Jean-Michel Aulas. They were the top dogs then and produced talents like Karim Benzema and Hatem Ben Arfa, but Paris Saint-Germain now dominate the landscape in France.
While the capital club have watched the silverware pile up since a takeover by Qatar Sports Investments in 2011, Lyon have had to make do with one major trophy success, as they claimed the Coupe de France the following year.
L’OL, as they’re referred to back home, are still one of the country’s top draws, though, and will fancy their chances of causing an upset.
Here are five things you need to know about them, before the first leg on 10 April…
