Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas scored to lead Barcelona to their third Women’s Champions League title, achieving a 2-0 victory against record eight-time champions Lyon on Saturday.
The reigning champions had never defeated the French powerhouses, falling short in the finals of both the 2019 and 2022 campaigns. However, in coach Jonatan Giraldez’s final game as manager, Bilbao pulled off a thrilling quadruple this season.
After 63 minutes, Bonmati struck, and substitute Putellas sealed the victory in stoppage time to exact revenge on Sonia Bompastor’s team, who had previously defeated Barcelona.
With their third Champions League trophy in five finals appearances over the previous six seasons, Barcelona proved they are the new dominant force in women’s tennis.
The players of Barcelona insisted that they could defeat Lyon this time, adding maturity and willpower to their obvious skill, and at a crowded San Mames, they succeeded.
Supported by an overwhelming majority of a record-breaking 51,000 spectators at a women’s Champions League final, Bonmati and her team triumphed over one of the last remaining unfinished tasks.
“It’s the first time we’ve beaten Lyon, I’m proud of the team, and we know that with these fans we have, we can’t fail,” Bonmati told DAZN.
“It’s incredible what we’re living through as a team, I’m so lucky… to see we’re creating that for so many people, the historic amount of fans we’ve brought, it’s the proudest I’ve felt, I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
With Mariona Caldentey starting in attack and Fridolina Rolfo moving to left back, Giraldez benched Ona Batlle and Putellas, the two-time Ballon d’Or winner.
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Ada Hegerberg, the competition’s all-time top scorer, was also benched by Lyon due to his poor form following an injury.
Barcelona had a few early nerves as Lucy Bronze deflected a ball onto her own crossbar and Wendie Renard, the towering captain of Lyon, struck the outside of the post.
This time, the Catalans persevered to keep it together at the back after trailing three goals at halftime in the 2022 final and four goals at the half in the 2019 final.
Barca threatened increasingly at the other end. Patri Guijarro, who scored twice in last year’s final against Wolfsburg, broke in behind for their first big chance after half an hour.
Christiane Endler saved her effort from an angle and Selma Bacha cleared the ball off the line after it rebounded back towards goal.
This season, Caroline Graham Hansen has been incredible. Near the end of the first half, she gave left-back Bacha a rough time and had 11-time finalist Renard backing away nervously, but she dragged her shot wide.
When Bonmati gave Barcelona the lead after an hour, they proved their quality.
After remaining silent, the Ballon d’Or winner showed up just in time to intercept Caldentey’s deft pass and charge into the area.
As Bonmati scored her sixth and most important goal of the tournament, her low shot shaved off Vanessa Gilles and flew over the defenseless Endler.
Top scorer in the Champions League Kadidiatou Diani curled agonizingly over for Lyon as Bompastor’s team attempted to rally. Lyon’s chances gradually diminished as Hegerberg’s header went wide.
Putellas, who entered the game as a late substitute, eventually won the game by shooting into the upper corner, sparking Barcelona’s celebrations. He also donned the captain’s armband.
