“Eye-catchingly quick”: Why “powerful” Lyon star Catarina Macario has been compared to Marta – scout report

Lyon Feminin’s 2020/2021 season was not one they will want to remember, with PSG Feminine beating them to the Division 1 Feminine title after 14 consecutive seasons at the top, whilst they were also knocked out of the Champions League by the same team at the quarter-final stage. However, 2021/2022 has been much better for them so far, with eight wins from eight league and European games, 36 goals scored and just one conceded. One player who is proving essential to their improved play is USA international Catarina Macario, who is regarded as one of the best players in women’s football at the present time. Some have described her as “eye-catchingly quick” around the field, whilst others are comparing her with Brazil legend Marta, which indicates just how highly-rated she is.

This tactical analysis will focus on Macario’s skills on the field, looking at her positioning, her ability to create options for her teammates, and her role in their link-up play. In doing so, the analysis will detail how she fits into both Lyon’s and the USA’s tactics, and why she has become a major player for both sides this season.

Positioning

What makes clubs take notice of players is when they have a good positional and spatial understanding on the field, and Catarina Macario showed plenty of that whilst playing for Stanford University between 2017 and 2020. Since her arrival at Lyon Feminin in January 2021, her movement and ability to find spaces has helped them to play with an increased level of creativity, especially in the final third.

Macario generally operates in an attacking midfield role, combining with the striker to cause problems for opponents. In this image, both her and Melvine Malard have got into the box, with Malard now on the shoulder of the defensive line and Macario in the hole behind her. As a result of this, Benfica’s defenders are forced to hold their position, rather than closing Macario down, as Malard would then be unmarked behind them.

This situation shows the USA international’s awareness, as she knew that getting between the two defensive lines would give Lyon the advantage here, and a better chance of converting the opportunity. When she does receive the ball in these areas during games, she demonstrates plenty of confidence and an ability to get the ball out of her feet and yet still retain control of it. This type of skill is one reason that some have drawn comparisons between her and Marta.