MATCH INFO: Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona (Leg 1 of 2), Stade Municipal Georges Lefèvre, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France

Kickoff: April 25th, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. EST

Paris Saint-Germain will host Barcelona for the first leg of the UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-final. Here’s how both teams got here.

PSG were drawn against Olympique Lyonnais in the quarter finals, who are widely considered the best team in the world. They’ve won seven Champions League titles and the last five in a row, becoming the team to beat in the competition. 

In the first leg, Lyon did what they do best: they won. A single penalty from Wendie Renard gave them the advantage going into the second leg, which looked to be headed in a similar direction after Catarina Macario scored in the 4th minute to give Lyon a two-goal aggregate advantage. 

However, PSG were able to answer back a mere 20 minutes later, with a fantastic goal from midfielder  Grace Geyoro, her first of the 202/21 Champions League campaign. 

Le but de l'espoir de @GraceGeyoro 💥#𝐎𝐋𝐏𝐒𝐆 | 🏆 #UWCL pic.twitter.com/csPduDOp6M

— PSG Féminines (@PSG_Feminines) April 18, 2021

After halftime, PSG continued to push in an effort to find a goal that would put them through to the next round on away goals. Lyon were quite sloppy in possession with misplaced passes, and it seemed like it’d only be a matter of time before PSG scored another. The needed goal came in the 61st minute, with Renard scoring an own goal in an attempt to cut off PSG’s Kadidiatou Diani’s cross into the box.

GOAL FOR PSG!

The visitors now complete the comeback to take the lead and take hold of the series on aggregate on away goals as Wendie Renard puts the ball into the back of her own net.#UWCL LIVE NOW FOR 🆓
📺💻📱 - beIN SPORTS XTRA https://t.co/l9ui33XNg9 pic.twitter.com/dk9Smw44Aq

— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) April 18, 2021

The goal gave Paris Saint-Germain the 2-1 lead, and they held on until the final whistle. With the final score being 2-2 on aggregate, the Parisians advanced on away goals to the semi-finals, ending Lyon’s five-year streak as European champions.

PSG’s opponents in the semi-finals, Barcelona, knocked out English powerhouse Manchester City with a final score of 4-2 on aggregate, in what may have been the biggest surprise of the quarter finals. 

Barcelona comfortably beat Man City 3-0 in the first leg, with the first goal coming off a smart finish from Asisat Oshoala in the 35th minute. Going into half-time at 1-0, the match was far from over, but City struggled to contain Oshoala, and the striker won a penalty early in the second half that teammate Mariona Caldentey converted. 

Jennifer Hermoso scored Barca’s third after a shot hit the post, giving Man City the daunting task of needing to score at least four goals in the second leg in Manchester.

Things started off well for City in the second leg, with Janine Beckie scoring within the first twenty minutes. 

However, Oshoala once again continuously caused the home-side problems. She scored in the 59th minute, easing any pressure Barca was facing. 

Barcelona strikes in the second half to equalize! Asisat Oshoala with the tally for the away goal. #UWCL pic.twitter.com/351Jp6m2cD

— The Equalizer (@EqualizerSoccer) March 31, 2021

Sam Mewis scored a penalty about ten minutes later, but of course, it wasn’t enough for the English side to qualify.

Both Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona faced tough opponents in the quarters, and both teams showed exactly why they deserve to be in the competition. 

Each club has made it to the final of the UWCL before, but have failed to get their hands on the coveted trophy. Now they have a chance to make the leap.

For PSG, they’ve already dispatched their domestic rivals. But losing in the semis would sour that achievement. For Barcelona, meanwhile, now is their chance to prove that they belong in the discussion of Europe’s best club. Fireworks should be expected.

The WNBA is back in action on Tuesday night, as the Indiana Fever and Seattle Storm headline a series of games that could make or break the current trajectories of several 2025 title contenders.

Seeking an especially strong Tuesday performance is the Fever, as Indiana tries to snap a two-game losing streak against the increasingly confident Storm.

"There are going to be stretches that are really good and there's going to be stretches that aren't as good," Fever guard Caitlin Clark said on Sunday, addressing her recent shooting slump.

While the Indiana and Seattle clash will lead the Tuesday charge, the night will also see young squads sizing up WNBA juggernauts as bottom-table teams look for a leg up:

• No. 8 Indiana Fever vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, 10 PM ET (NBA TV): The Fever need a win against a Storm side that can't seem to lose, as both teams eye the postseason.

• No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 9 Washington Mystics, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The up-and-coming Mystics will attempt to hand the Lynx a second season loss, as Minnesota star Napheesa Collier remains day-to-day with lower back stiffness.

• No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 12 Dallas Wings, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Dream are on a tear, surging up the standings as the struggling Wings attempt to take flight.

• No. 10 LA Sparks vs. No. 11 Chicago Sky, 8 PM ET (NBA TV): The Sparks have cooled after a hot start while the Sky has yet to rev up, with both teams aiming to end a three-game losing streak on Tuesday night.

Teams across the league are hoping to make the most of every minute while also managing injury concerns and absences as the WNBA All-Star break looms.

The WNBA Class of 2025 is already making its mark on the league, with first-year players stepping up and showing out while the Rookie of the Year race — and betting odds — heat up.

No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers has been just as good as advertised, with the Dallas Wings guard leading her class in both minutes played and points per game while also charting league-wide in assists per game, steals per game, and mid-range shots made.

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DraftKings currently has Bueckers as the clear WNBA Rookie of the Year race frontrunner at -1,000, though the dynamic DC duo of guard Sonia Citron (+1,500) and forward Kiki Iriafen (+1,000) are quickly gaining traction.

Iriafen won May's WNBA Rookie of the Month award after a series of career-opening double-doubles, while her Washington Mystics teammate Citron has continued to execute in the clutch — most recently posting a career-high double-double performance of 27 points and 11 rebounds in last Sunday's 91-88 overtime win over Dallas.

"Not only is [Iriafen] holding her own, she's excelling," Citron told JWS earlier this month. "And seeing that is just incredible."

"Soni just does all the little things," Iriafen added. "She doesn't shortcut anything, she's doing the fundamentals, she doesn't cheat the game at all."

Though the NWSL hit the pause button this week, players worldwide are still on the move, as both European and US soccer teams use the midseason break to sharpen their lineups with international signings.

The NWSL has already seen one major departure, with the San Diego Wave announcing Monday that forward María Sánchez will return to her former Liga MX club UANL Tigres after nearly five years in the NWSL, with the Wave set to receive an undisclosed transfer fee in return.

"When the opportunity came to return to Tigres, I had to do a lot of inner searching, and I ultimately decided that returning to Liga MX Femenil and Tigres specifically was the best course of action for my career," the 29-year-old dual citizen and Mexico international player said in the Wave's release.

NWSL clubs are also setting their sights on European free agents, with the Washington Spirit bringing in Juventus forward Sofia Cantore last week — the first Italian signing in league history.

Also hopping aboard the player transaction carousel is new WSL side London City, with the top-flight debutantes inking OL Lyonnes midfielder and Dutch international Daniëlle van de Donk on Friday.

Meanwhile, van de Donk's wife and club teammate Ellie Carpenter is also potentially WSL-bound, with the defender reportedly nearing a deal that would see the Australian join Chelsea FC in return for the Blues sending Canadian international Ashley Lawrence to OL Lyonnes.

For their part, OL Lyonnes picked up defender Ingrid Engen from Barcelona as a free agent last week, adding the Norwegian international after snagging French forward and PSG's all-time leading scorer Marie-Antoinette Katoto earlier this month.

With the most recent NWSL CBA abolishing traditional trade windows, expect even more international signings and roster reshufflings before the league resumes play on August 1st.

San Diego is paying tribute to one of their own, with the Wave announcing plans to retire the No. 13 jersey of NWSL and USWNT legend Alex Morgan on September 7th.

Still topping the team's all-time scoring leaderboard with 23 goals in just over two seasons with San Diego, the retired club captain will be the first-ever Wave player to receive the prestigious honor.

Morgan also led San Diego to the 2023 NWSL Shield as well as postseason appearances in the 2022 expansion club's first two seasons.

"Alex's legacy goes far beyond goals and accolades. She helped lay the foundation for this club and elevated the standard for what women's soccer is today," said Wave FC governor Lauren Leichtman in the team's Tuesday announcement.

"She made this city her home, inspired our fans and community, and helped define who we are," Leichtman continued. "Her impact will be felt for generations, and it's only fitting that her number becomes a permanent part of Wave FC history." 

Morgan joined the Southern California squad's ownership group just last month, saying "San Diego is where I've built my home, where I am raising my children, and found a purpose beyond my playing career."

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How to attend the San Diego jersey retirement of Alex Morgan

San Diego will officially retire Morgan's No. 13 jersey during their home match against the Houston Dash at 8 PM ET on September 7th.

Tickets to the game will go on sale to the general public online at 6 PM ET on Tuesday.