Barcelona vs Olympique Lyon: next match Champions League Final.

The final between Barcelona vs Olimpique Lyon, closes the European women’s football season with the most eagerly awaited match for the most coveted trophy

On Saturday afternoon at San Mamès Stadium in Bilbao (6:00 PM), Barcelona feminino and Olympique Lyon will clash in the most eagerly awaited match for the most important trophy in women’s football, the Women’s Champions League. On one side are the defending champions, a team that has dominated the scene in recent years; on the other is Lyon, which with eight trophies is the most successful club in the history of European women’s football.

Barcelona vs Olympique Lyon: An Iconic Rivalry

Two teams have reached such an extraordinary level that they can only be rivals, especially considering recent precedents where Lyon won two of their eight trophies at Barcelona’s expense. But the Blaugrana team is no longer the one that lost. In the meantime, they have learned to win and have demonstrated the ability to start a rush that could become extremely long and prolific in the upcoming years.

For Lyon, this is the eleventh final since 2010. Barcelona will play their fourth consecutive final, their fifth in six seasons, with two trophies won in 2021 against Chelsea (4-0) in Gothenburg and last year against Wolfsburg (3-2) in Eindhoven. A final widely anticipated since the start of the season when these two giants dominated the scene without any uncertainties.

Two Master Coaches and Two Symbolic Players

Barcelona is set for a dramatic change with coach Jonatan Giráldez, who has already signed with the Washington Spirit, leaving immediately after the final to coach in the USA. In contrast, Sonia Bompastor, who has won the cup multiple times as both a player and a coach, has renewed her contract in Lyon.

Among the players on the field, only one, Wendie Renard, that took Bompastor’s place on the pitch as captain, has participated in all ten of Lyon’s previous finals and in each of their eight triumphs. Absent, however, is Eugénie Le Sommer, sidelined by a long-term injury, while Ada Hegerberg, another symbolic and often decisive player, is available again after a two-month absence. Barcelona boasts the last two Ballon d’Or winners: Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas, who has just announced her renewal with the Blaugrana for another two seasons.

Facts and Trophies

Barcelona and Lyon come into the match with a double haul of national trophies: both have won the league and the cup. Lyon defeated Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in the final, and Barcelona humiliated Real Sociedad (8-0) to win the Copa de la Reina. Considering the national Supercup, which both Lyon and Barcelona have already won against PSG (2-0) and Levante (7-0) respectively, the Champions League would be the fourth trophy of the season: certainly the most significant and meaningful.

Were to watch the match Barcellona Vs Lyon

The final will be streamed for free on DAZN’s YouTube channel worldwide, except for China, the Middle East, and North Africa: it is expected to reach an audience of at least 400 million fans.

Lineups

Here are the probable starting lineups for both teams.
Barcelona: Coll; Bronze, Paredes, Engen, Batlle; Bonmatí, Walsh, Putellas; Graham Hansen, Paralluelo, Rolfö.
Lyon: Endler; Carpenter, Renard, Gilles, Bacha; Van de Donk, Egurrola, Horan; Cascarino, Dumornay, Diani.

The match will be officiated by the English international Rebecca Welch, assisted by compatriots Natalie Aspinall and Emily Carney (lineswomen), fourth official Ivana Martinčić (Croatia), and the VAR team composed of Stuart Attwell (England) and Katalin Kulcsár (Hungary).

Coaches’ Statements

Jonatan Giráldez, Barcelona Coach: “For me, Barça and Lyon are the two best teams in Europe, without a doubt, for the individual quality that both teams have. If you analyze player by player, there is certainly little to choose from. I expect an entertaining final, with two quality starting lineups and great substitutes on the bench who can help a lot. Furthermore, of course, on the sidelines, both Sonia and I will have the tools to try to enjoy the final, which, hopefully, will favor Barça.”

Sonia Bompastor, Lyon Coach: “Barcelona doesn’t concede too many goals. We know it will be a great challenge for us, and we know they have a lot of experience in this competition, but also in the Champions League final. It will be a hard-fought match, and every detail will count, so it will be up to us to make sure this match goes in our favor. But we are facing a very tough club and a wonderful team.”