Lyon delight In big catch

French Women’s First Division champions Olympique Lyonnais have described their new-signing Malawian female football icon Tabitha Chawinga as the missing link in their quest to conquer Europe again.

The record eight-time European club champions unveiled the Scorchers captain on Tuesday after signing a three-year deal from Chinese Women’s Super League side Wuhan Jianghan University.

The club’s general director Vincent Ponsot was quoted by the team’s website OL.fr as having said they were “very excited” to welcome the Scorchers captain on board.

He said: “We have a high-quality team  and our goal is to consistently add an extra touch of excellence. This season, we achieve that with the arrival of Tabitha Chawinga.

“We are very excited to welcome Tabitha to Lyon. Her arrival aligns with our team’s ambitions and the attractive project led by [manager] Michele Kang.

“We have a high-calibre squad that we aim to strengthen with talented players like Tabitha to maintain our position at the pinnacle of European football.”

On her part, the 28-year-old forward said while she realises that the club has a lot of expectations from her, it all boils down to teamwork.

She said: “It’s not about one person, it’s about team work. So, I will look up to my teammates as well.

 “[Otherwise], I am very pleased to join Olympique Lyonnais Féminine, a historic club with numerous [Uefa] Women’s Champions League and French Championship titles.”

Tabitha also said she cannot wait to get started at Lyon.

“I look forward to the season starting, meeting the coach and my new teammates and I hope we can continue to win titles together.

“I know the coach from my time in Italy [while with Inter Milan Women],” she said.

Tabitha spent last season at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on loan from Wuhan Jianghan University.

Posting on her Facebook page yesterday, she thanked PSG for  the good time she spent at the club.

She said: “You embraced me and made me feel a part of your club. I will forever be grateful. Together, we made dreams come alive and, more importantly, we made memories that I will forever hold dearly.

“As I embark on my next French chapter, I hope to continue making you proud and remain united through the beautiful game of football.

“To all the PSG supporters, your love was evident from the first day. Every minute you spared to watch our games, every breath you spared screaming my name and cheering us on can never be taken for granted. I appreciate that you lived and breathed PSG. Merci beaucoup [Thank you very much].”

Last sesson, Tabitha shone brightly in her debut season in France by being named Player of the Season and winning the golden boot, but PSG finished second to Lyon.

She also made a significant impact in the Uefa Women’s Champions League, featuring in 12 matches and scoring six goals, including one in the semi-final second leg against Lyon, her new team.

Tabitha was also named in the 2023/24 Best XI alongside her future teammates, Christiane Endler, Selma Bacha, Lindsey Horan, and Kadidiatou Diani.

She added the 2024 Coupe de France to her achievements, scoring four goals in five matches.

Before her move to France, Tabitha spent a season at Italian giants Inter Milan, again on loan, where she made history by becoming the first African to win the golden boot during the 2022/23 season.

While in China, she twice won the player of the year and golden boot accolades.