Man United star Melvine Malard will be backing OL Lyonnes in UWCL final at WePlayStrong House | OneFootball

French international Melvine Malard spoke to the media and stressed the importance of fan engagement ahead of Saturdays UEFA Women’s Champions League final between OL Lyonnes and Barcelona.

The 25-year-old forward will be in Oslo ahead of kick-off, where she will be attending the WePlayStrong House. The event is free and open for all fans who will be in the city before the final commences.

A schedule for the event can be found on the WePlayStrong Instagram page. Some activities include meet and greet sessions with players including Malard and former Barcelona defender Jana Fernández. Fans will also have the opportunity to compete in quizzes and EA FC challenges, as well as attending skill tutorial sessions.

Malard came through the youth ranks at OL Lyonnes and made more than 50 appearances for the French outfit before departing the club. During the 2023/24 season, she had a loan spell at Manchester United, before putting pen to paper on a permanent deal the following season. However, the French international confirms she won’t be a neutral heading into this weekend’s final.

Who will Melvine Malard be supporting in the UWCL final?

The forward admits it has been a couple of ‘bitter’ years for OL Lyonnes on the European stage. With a record eight titles to their name, this is the first final they have reached since the 2023/24 season. And you have to go back to 2022 for the last time they got their hands on the illustrious trophy.

However, due to their rich history in the competition, the club wasn’t willing to fall behind. They had a large number of turnovers in the summer which saw the arrival of a new head coach in Jonatan Giráldez, as well as several young players to inject a new style into the club.

“This season it was a new format with this new formula and Lyon has strengthened a lot with a very different team,” said Malard when speaking to the media. “Before there were many French women, now there are also others [overseas players]. It’s a very mixed team and I think they arrive for me at this final, wanting extra revenge.”

Despite her love for Barcelona’s style of play, Malard insists her heart is ‘still for Lyon’ and she will be in the stands cheering on her fellow French teammates.

Embed from Getty Images

Keeping women’s football accessible

The year is no different with WePlayStrong continuing their tradition of hosting events for fans before each UWCL final. Even while under Covid-19 restrictions, fans had the opportunity to join a virtual event and speak to their favourite players, including Lena Oberdorf and Vivianne Miedema.

Malard believes these events are a ‘great opportunity’ to showcase the tight-knit community that surrounds women’s football.

She said: “I think that suddenly we can show these young players what women’s football is and how it has developed. We will be in a good and beautiful atmosphere with former players around young people, and I think it will make young people want to continue playing.

“I’m a player that loves to enjoy with fans and with people who give me love and energy. I think it’s very important to give back also and that we can bring the young players and new people to these events.”

Attending the UWCL final could also provide the forward with some lessons for her own game. In fact, she highlights Melchie Dumornay and how the Haitian may showcase some skills for her to implement next season.

“I look everywhere what I can bring for me. I think I am here to enjoy the game because I’m a fan of football but if Dumornay does something very smart, I will take my phone and put it in the notes to help me for my next game.”

Manchester United returning to the World Sevens

Embed from Getty Images

It was recently announced that Manchester United would once against be participating in the World Sevens tournament this summer. Unlike last year, which featured top teams from across Europe, the 2026 edition will consist of eight WSL clubs.

When asked about their participation, the forward couldn’t hide her joy.

“I’m excited. That is a very good plan because the season can be long sometimes with a lot of games, pressure and emotion, and now I know after last year we can breathe and just enjoy. We would like to win but we know everyone is here for enjoying the football and doing something we love to do that we can’t do in the season sometimes.”

How to watch the UWCL final

The final will kick-off at 5pm BST on Saturday 23rd May. For those who will not be alongside Melvine Malard, Disney+ customers can watch the final with their existing membership. Viewers in the UK also have the opportunity to watch the match live on BBC Two and iPlayer.

Related articles from Her Football Hub: