© Imago
Head-to-head record
Previous meetings: 6
Lyon wins: 0
Draws: 3
Man Utd wins: 3*
*including one after extra time
Lyon and Manchester United have faced each other a total of six times across all competitions, with the Red Devils winning three of those (including one after extra time) and also drawing three with their French counterparts.
The very first meeting between these two clubs took place in the group stage of the 2004-05 Champions League, when Ruud van Nistelrooy scored twice to help Man United come from two goals down at half time to draw 2-2 with Lyon at Stade Gerland in September of that season.
Just over two months later, Gary Neville scored one of his seven Man United goals to open the scoring in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford, and although Mahamadou Diarra restored parity for Lyon on the stroke of half time, Van Nistelrooy was on the scoresheet again, netting what proved to be the winner eight minutes after the interval to seal a 2-1 home victory.
Four years passed before Man United and Lyon would butt heads again in the Champions League, this time in the last 16 with Carlos Tevez netting an 87th-minute equaliser to cancel out Karim Benzema's opener to rescue a 1-1 first-leg draw in France.
Just a week later, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 30th goal of the season to seal a slender 1-0 second-leg victory for Man United at Old Trafford, winning 2-1 on aggregate before going on to lift the Champions League trophy in Moscow under Sir Alex Ferguson.
The most recent meeting between these two teams took place in the Europa League quarter-finals in April 2025. Lyon rescued a 2-2 home draw in the first leg courtesy of a 95th-minute equaliser from Rayan Cherki, before Man United came out on top 5-4 after extra time (winning 7-6 on aggregate) in one of the most memorable European nights at Old Trafford - a game in which the Red Devils were losing 4-2 with just 10 minutes of extra time remaining.
Previous meetings
Apr 17, 2025: Man Utd 5-4 Lyon a.e.t (Europa League Quarter-Final Second Leg)
Apr 10, 2025: Lyon 2-2 Man Utd (Europa League Quarter-Final First Leg)
Sep 15, 2004: Lyon 2-2 Man Utd (Champions League Group Stage)
Nov 23, 2004: Man Utd 2-1 Lyon (Champions League Group Stage)
Feb 20, 2008: Lyon 1-1 Man Utd (Champions League Round of 16 First Leg)
Mar 04, 2008: Man Utd 1-0 Lyon (Champions League Round of 16 First Leg)
Oliver Thomas
