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Barcelona v Lyon LIVE: Women’s Champions League final score and result as Alexia Putellas goal seals win
Bilbao’s San Mames staged a blockbuster Women’s Champions League final as holders Barcelona beat eight-time winners Lyon
Second-half goals from Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas earned Barcelona a 2-0 win over Olympique Lyonnais in the Women’s Champions League final, their second straight victory in the competition.
Barca, who beat Vfl Wolfsburg 3-2 in last year’s final, came into the game seeking to go one better than their 2019 and 2022 finals against French powerhouse Lyon, which they lost 4-1 and 3-1 respectively.
Bonmati, who won the Ballon d’Or and Fifa Best Women’s Player award for 2023, struck in the 63rd minute with a shot from a tight angle which deflected off Lyon’s Vanessa Gilles past keeper Christiane Endler.
With their fans vastly outnumbered at the San Mames stadium in Bilbao, Lyon sent on Norwegian striker Ada Hegerberg but the competition’s record goal-scorer was unable to find the net and Putellas came off the bench and netted a stoppage-time goal to seal Barcelona’s win.
Follow live reaction from the Women’s Champions League final in Bilbao after Barcelona beat Lyon, or watch live and free on DAZN
The ‘queen’ of Barcelona finally gets her moment to seal sweetest Women’s Champions League yet
Alexia Putellas stood on the sidelines, watching, the captain’s armband already wrapped around her left arm. For almost three years, since rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament on the eve of the Euros, Putellas has spent too long doing just that: waiting, looking on, as others have shone in the spotlight. The clock in the San Mames had reached 90 minutes. Time was up.
Yet it was Putellas who arrived just at the right moment to settle this Women’s Champions League final, striking to earn Barcelona a famous first-ever victory over Lyon and earn a third European crown in four years. With it, Lyon’s reign may be over, an era passed. Barcelona defended their Champions League and they did it their way, a 2-0 victory over the record eight-time champions sealed by their own.
There could not have been two more popular goalscorers than Putellas and Aitana Bonmati, Barcelona’s two Ballon d’Or winners. As Putellas crashed a left-footed shot high into the net, it wasn’t just the stand behind the goal that erupted; the San Mames shook. It had done so before, as Bonmati sent Barcelona on their way, but there were nerves as Lyon plotted a route back. For so long in the Women’s Champions League, Lyon were its inevitable force. Could they salvage something?
Not here, not tonight.
Alexia Putellas arrives just in time to earn Barcelona’s sweetest Champions League
Barcelona 2-0 Lyon: In front of a rocking San Mames in Spain, Putellas and Aitana Bonmati sealed an iconic victory both on the pitch and in the stands
Keira Walsh, after becoming a two-time Champions League winner
Barcelona midfielder Keira Walsh speaking to DAZN: "Really really happy, I think we played a really good game today. I've lost my voice with all the shouting but I'm really really happy!
"To win the four trophies that we set out to this year and today it felt like a home game so to do it in front of our fans was really special and for Jona [Jonatan Giraldez] to go out like this was amazing but these girls are special. You could see the way we played and they're just a great bunch of girls."
On Alexia Putellas: "You could see the celebrations from the girls. To go 2-0 up was massive and I think it made it more special that it was her. You could see what she means to this team, to this city, to this club, so we're all really happy that she's signed. It's Alexia Putellas."
History for Lucy Bronze
History for Lucy Bronze, who now has a second Champions League with Barcelona to add to the three she won with Lyon.
She is the first English player to win five European Cups.
Aitana Bonmati named player of the match
Aitana Bonmati adds another player of the match award in the Women’s Champions League final, adding to her honour from the Women’s World Cup final, too.
Sonia Bompastor declines to talk about future after Champions League final defeat
Lyon manager Sonia Bompastor is asked about future at her press conference: “It’s not the right moment to talk about it. I’m disappointed, that’s all.”
Bompastor is expected to be announced as the next Chelsea manager, replacing Emma Hayes, but declines to confirm whether tonight was her last match as Lyon manager.
Bompastor goes on to say Barcelona are an “inspiration” and says Lyon fans should still be confident that they can compete at the top of the women’s game.
“We have to congratulate Barcelona for the passion they have for women’s football, they are an example. Lyon have experience with playing in hostile environments, but it makes a difference. It’s an inspiration for us, and for France.
“Their quality, and supporters, is very positive. All the clubs we need to be inspired by that, to find reasons to fight that.”
Full-time: Barcelona 2-0 Lyon
Barcelona boss Jonatan Giraldez speaking to DAZN: "It was an incredible game. I am really happy, it’s one of the best days of my life for sure.
"We did an amazing job. I am very proud of all of them. When I decided in December to leave the team at the end of the season, people criticised the decision that maybe the performance of the team are going down. We showed today the amazing performance we have and deserved the victory."
On Alexia Putellas' goal: "Everyone did an amazing job. Alexia only played five or six minutes but there are other players as well. This is a special moment for them."
On if he will miss the Women's Champions League when he moves to Washington Spirit: "It was the best thing that could happen today with me, my family, almost 40 people coming from Galicia. It is a special moment and I will enjoy it."
Record crowd witness Barcelona triumph
Today’s crowd of 50,827 set a new attendance record for a Women’s Champions League final.
The mark surpassed the 50,212 that saw Lyon beat Eintracht Frankfurt in 2012 in Munich.
It is still well short of the Champions League’s highest attendance, though: in 2022, 91,648 saw Barcelona’s 5-1 rout of Wolfsburg in the first leg of their Women’s Champions League semifinal at Camp Nou Stadium.
Barcelona win the Champions League
Alexia Putellas lifts the trophy in the air as the tickertape falls and the crowd – many of whom have stayed for this moment – roar their approval.
Lucy Bronze speaks
Bronze tells DAZN: “We knew that we needed this to be a club that really made history. We go down in history as one of the best teams in Europe.”
On Putellas: “She’s the captain of the team, she’s the queen of Barcelona for a reason. She’s had to work really hard to get back fit, and she’s shown today why she’s a back-to-back Ballon d’Or winner.”
What about tonight? “Friends and family will be celebrating tonight, we’ve won it all so we’ve got a lot to celebrate.”
Full-time: Barcelona 2-0 Lyon
Second-half goals from Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas earned Barcelona a 2-0 win over Olympique Lyonnais in the Women’s Champions League final on Saturday, their second straight victory in the competition.
Barca, who beat Vfl Wolfsburg 3-2 in last year’s final, came into the game seeking to go one better than their 2019 and 2022 finals against French powerhouse Lyon, which they lost 4-1 and 3-1 respectively.
Bonmati, who won the Ballon d’Or and FIFA Best Women’s Player award for 2023, struck in the 63rd minute with a shot from a tight angle which deflected off Lyon’s Vanessa Gilles past keeper Christiane Endler.
With their fans vastly outnumbered at the San Mames stadium in Bilbao, Lyon sent on Norwegian striker Ada Hegerberg but the competition’s record goal-scorer was unable to find the net and Putellas came off the bench and netted a stoppage-time goal to seal Barcelona’s win.
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