Lyon and Potsdam vie for greatest prize

As a season of change in women's football reaches its denouement, Olympique Lyonnais and 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam will look to make history at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez in Getafe on Thursday by becoming the first winners of the UEFA Women's Champions League.

German sides dominated its predecessor, the UEFA Women's Cup, with Potsdam champions in 2005, and Lyon will hope to usher in the new era by becoming the first French side to lift the trophy after falling short in the semi-finals in the past two seasons. For the first time in nine years the final has reverted to a one-off match and from now on will be played two days before the men's showpiece.

With brilliant sun shining down on the gleaming Coliseum Alfonso Pérez and with a bumper crowd in prospect, Lyon coach Farid Benstiti is expecting an "extraordinary" match. "It's about trying to win the final of our lives," he said. "We have to be enthusiastic, to take enormous pleasure from the game. We know the hard work that has gone into this. We have to enjoy it, but we also have to win."

Benstiti is likely to be without injured top scorer Lotta Schelin, but he dismissed suggestions Potsdam begin as favourites. "The best thing about a one-off final is that it is 50-50," he said, adding that as Lyon's men's team had been knocked out by Germany's FC Bayern München in this season's UEFA Champions League semi-finals, his side had a point to prove.

"We must wake the pride of our players because we can't lose twice against a German side," said Benstiti, whose team were eliminated by eventual champions FCR 2001 Duisburg in the semi-finals last season. "We have very, very good players as well. They are mentally strong so tomorrow it will be difficult for Potsdam."

Veteran Potsdam coach Bernd Schröder has overseen his share of success at the helm of the east German club down the years and the 67-year-old was in high spirits as he greeted the press in Getafe. Fresh from clinching a second straight Frauen-Bundesliga title, his relaxed demeanour suggested he should have little trouble in calming any nerves amongst his young squad on Thursday evening.

He said he hoped to make it a "week to remember" for German football as Bayern and Potsdam bid for a rare European double. "We are the best team in Germany and it has been a great season for us," he said. "But it has been a hard season as well. Lyon have very experienced players while our team is just over 20 on average."

Potsdam do, however, have players who have been here before. Jennifer Zietz, Viola Odebrecht and nine-goal leading scorer Anja Mittag are the three survivors from their 2005 UEFA Women's Cup winning side. "It's not the first time we have reached the final, but the competition has been enhanced by the term Champions League," said Schröder.

This current crop have also proved they have the strength of character to go all the way after holding their nerve to win a penalty shoot-out against Duisburg in the semi-finals. As Schröder exuded confidence on the eve of the game, he was quick to point out: "We respect them, but have no fear."