Barcelona secured a historic victory over Lyon in the Women’s Champions League final, ending their losing streak against the French powerhouse. The match, held in Bilbao, Spain, saw Barcelona emerge triumphant with a 2-0 win, clinching their third Champions League title in four years.
The game's most successful club, Lyon, had previously defeated Barcelona in all four of their encounters, including two previous finals. However, Barcelona's world player of the year, Aitana Bonmatí, opened the scoring in the second half, followed by a late goal from former world player Alexia Putellas, sealing the victory for the defending champions.
The record crowd of 50,827 spectators witnessed Barcelona's dominance, with Bonmatí expressing pride in the team's historic achievement. Barcelona's quadruple of trophies, including the Champions League, Spanish league, Copa de la Reina, and the Spanish Super Cup, highlighted their exceptional season.
Lyon coach Sonia Bompastor acknowledged Barcelona's positive trajectory and emphasized the need for other clubs to rise to the challenge. Barcelona's success comes amidst ongoing struggles for the men's team, with Xavi Hernández departing as coach.
Barcelona's back-to-back Champions League titles solidify their status as one of Europe's best teams, with defender Lucy Bronze praising the team's historic feat. The women's triumph adds to Spain's recent successes in women's soccer, following victories in the Women’s World Cup and Women’s Nations League.
The final, played at San Mames Stadium, showcased Barcelona's strength as they outplayed Lyon to secure the title. Despite Lyon's efforts, Barcelona's resilience and quality of play proved decisive, with Putellas sealing the victory in stoppage time.
Barcelona's coach Jonatan Giráldez, in his final match before joining Washington Spirit, commended the team's exceptional performance and well-deserved victory. The win cements Barcelona's place among the elite clubs in women's soccer, alongside Lyon and Eintracht Frankfurt as the only clubs with three Women’s Champions League titles.
Barcelona's triumph marks a significant moment in women's soccer, underscoring their dominance and determination to make history in the sport.
