Franco-German

Lyon were not supposed to make it to Lisbon at all for the Champions League ‘Final Eight’, but now they are through to one of two Franco-German semi-finals against Bayern Munich while the giants of England, Spain and Italy watch from the sidelines.

It is an unlikely last-four line-up in this unprecedented finale to the competition, reduced to a straight knockout tournament from the quarter-finals onwards after the long delay to the season caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Among those celebrating this shared Franco-German success on Saturday night was the French president, Emmanuel Macron.

“In Brussels and on the football …