Wendie Renard recalls soaking former Lyon president in Champions League celebration
Olympique Lyonnais captain Wendie Renard has revealed that the club's women's team once drenched former president Jean-Michel Aulas in a shower celebration following a crucial Champions League victory. Speaking to French newspaper L'Equipe ahead of her fifteenth European final with Lyon, this time against Arsenal, Renard shared the anecdote from the 2010 semi-final against Umea. When asked which semi-final made Aulas happiest, Renard described the moment the players brought him into the dressing room and pushed him under the cold water.
Renard explained that the act was a gesture of shared joy and a rare sight for the squad. "It made us happy, us players, to see him even just smile and really happy," she said. The story underscores the close, if occasionally mischievous, relationship between the record-breaking women's team and the former president who oversaw their rise to dominance. Aulas was the architect of Lyon's women's section, investing significantly to build a squad that has won a record eight Women's Champions League titles.
The defender was then asked if current owner Michele Kang might receive similar treatment if Lyon wins the final against Arsenal. Renard indicated that such a celebration would not be immediate. "I think that, even if there is a final victory, we will wait a little bit," she said. She expressed her pride in Kang's leadership, stating, "Already, I am happy and proud because she is a woman who has ambition, who knows what she wants."
Renard's comments arrive on the eve of another major European final for Lyon, who are seeking to reclaim the trophy after being dethroned by Barcelona last season. Her career has been synonymous with Lyon's success, having spent her entire professional tenure at the club since 2006, captaining the side to numerous domestic and European honours. This context makes her personal recollections of key moments in the club's history particularly resonant.
The anecdote also highlights a cultural shift at the club, from the Aulas era to the new ownership under American businesswoman Michele Kang. While Aulas was a passionate, hands-on figure known for his emotional reactions, Kang represents a new chapter. Renard's distinction between the two celebrations—one spontaneous and soaked, the other more measured—subtly reflects this transition in leadership style at the pinnacle of women's club football.
