USWNT star Lindsey Horan believes Washington Spirit owner Michelle Kang's purchase of Lyon Femenin will usher in an 'incredible' new era.
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USWNT's Horan highlights Lyon infrastructure issuesWashington Spirit owner Michelle Kang to purchase clubFrench side begin 2023 UCL campaign TuesdayWHAT HAPPENED?
In a conversation with Pro Soccer Wire, the USWNT star spoke on the excitement of what a potential sale of Lyon Femenin to Washington Spirit owner Michelle Kang could look like for the French club. The 29-year-old believes that with Kang leading the club, an 'incredible' era could be upon them.
Kang is expected to build the women's side their own official training center while exploring the option of utilizing and repurposing a local rugby stadium for a new home venue.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Lyon are eight-time Champions League winners but still share a training ground with the men's side and only rarely play at the 59,000-capacity Groupama Stadium. Now, with the introduction of Kang into the ownership group, Horan believes a new era may be ushered in.
WHAT HORAN SAID
“Our team isn’t just attached to the men’s team,” she said. “Our team is in itself its own. To see some of these teams around the world now having their own training facilities, having their own stadiums — that’s what they deserve.
“We women work just as hard and we’re professionals just as much as the men. So at least we should have our own training facility. We should have all access to the things that we need, that I’m pretty sure most men’s clubs get, and to have our own stadium would be incredible as well.”
“Michelle is amazing, I’ve met her many times,” Horan added. “And I think her aspirations and the things that she’s doing in the world are insane. She’s not just saying things to say them, or to hope that it could happen, she’s going and making them happen. What she’ll do with Lyon is going to be absolutely incredible.”
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR HORAN AND LYON?
The French side make their 2023/24 UEFA Champions League debut Tuesday evening against Slavia Prague, with Horan set to play a role in another campaign as they look for their ninth European trophy.