Engen for Queenballers: One loss won’t define us. OL Lyonnes ready to respond in UWCL clash

The first leg of the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final did not go as Lyon had hoped, as they fell to a defeat away at Wolfsburg. They now head into the home leg needing to overturn a one-goal deficit if they want to reach the semi-finals. Queenballers had the opportunity to speak with OL Lyonnes players Ingrid Engen and Jule Brand, discussing the pressure of being favourites and whether this season feels different for them.

Both Jule Brand and Ingrid Engen joined French champions OL Lyonnes ahead of the new season. In both the group stage and the quarter-finals, however, they have had to face their former club Wolfsburg — most recently suffering a 1:0 defeat. Given Lyon’s perfect domestic record, the result came as a surprise. But neither player is letting it shake their confidence, heading into the second leg with a clear mindset.

Pressure?

“I think it’s very important for us to stick together from the first minute, especially after a game like that. We need to focus on what we can do better as a team and not look for excuses. Of course, we know it wasn’t a great performance and we weren’t at our best level, but we can’t lose confidence in everything we’ve built just because of one loss,” Engen said, looking ahead.

Lyon will have the advantage of playing the return leg at home, in front of their own fans — something both Engen and Brand see as a key factor.

“Obviously, having our fans there and the build-up from the club around this game has been really positive, so there’s a lot to look forward to. Being able to play in that kind of atmosphere will definitely help us.”

Both Brand and Engen arrived in Lyon as high-profile signings. As eight-time UEFA Women’s Champions League winners, Lyon are perennial favourites — and with that comes pressure.

“There will always be pressure when you play for a club like Lyon. It’s something we’re aware of and something we live with every day. It’s also pressure we put on ourselves, because we represent this club and we all have big ambitions — we want to go as far as possible and win the Champions League,” Engen told Queenballers.

Sweet home

Brand echoed that sentiment: “It’s very special to play for Lyon. From the first days here, you can see that everyone shares the same ambition — to win every possible trophy. That mindset pushes you in every training session. We all have the same goal, and that’s what drives us to work hard every day.”

The UEFA Women’s Champions League represents the pinnacle of the women’s game. But with this year’s final set to take place in Oslo, it carries an added significance — particularly for Norway international Ingrid Engen, who has nearly 90 caps for her country.

“It’s really nice to see that the final will be played in Norway. Of course, it’s in the back of my mind, but it’s not something we can focus on too much right now. We have to take it one game at a time. We’ll do everything we can to reach that final — it would be very special — but for now, my full focus is on the quarter-final, and we’ll take it from there,” Engen concluded.

The semi-finalists will be decided on April 1 and 2, 2026. If Lyon progress, they will face the winner of the Arsenal vs Chelsea tie — where Arsenal currently hold the advantage after a 3–1 win in the first leg.

For information on where to watch the UWCL in your area, please visit: https://wheretowatch.uefa.com/