Barcelona Femení vs Lyon, Women’s Champions League Final: Team News, Match Preview

Following a hard-fought win against Atlético Madrid to finish the Primera División season with a perfect record, Barcelona’s all-conquering women’s team is in Turin for the Women’s Champions League Final against Lyon at the Allianz Stadium.

Barça come into this one to play their third European final in the last four years looking to win back-to-back continental titles after last season’s historic victory over Chelsea. The Blaugrana have become the undisputed best women’s team in the world, and they have been the overwhelming favorites to repeat as European champions.

But now they face their toughest possible hurdle on the road to the trophy in the form of the winningest team in the competition: seven-time champions Lyon are back in the final for the 10th time since 2010, and it was them who beat Barça in the 2019 Final in dominant fashion.

There is a feeling of revenge in the air for Barça, who have improved tremendously since that defeat three years ago and come into this one mentally tougher and a truly incredible football team filled with talent and skill throughout the lineup. Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas is the top scorer in the competition and is Barça’s biggest hope, but she has plenty of help around her including superstar forward Lieke Martens, who is back after injury and will be available to play on Saturday.

Lyon have a phenomenal team themselves, including legendary striker Ada Hegerberg who scored a hat-trick in the 2019 Final and is still at the top of her game; Hegerberg and the Lyon attack will be a huge threat to a Barça defense that proved to be vulnerable in the Champions League knockout stage matches against Real Madrid and Wolfsburg, and there is very little doubt this will be a high-scoring title match.

Barça have never beaten Lyon before, and beating the most dominant club in women’s football over the last decade will prove once and for all that Barça Femení are truly at the top of the sport.

This will be so, so good. It’s women’s football’s biggest stage, and history is just 90 minutes away.

FORM GUIDE

Barcelona

Last six games: WWWLWW

Last match: Barcelona 2-1 Atlético, 15/05

Where they stand: Spanish champions, Copa de la Reina semi-finals

Lyon

Last six games (most recent result first): WWWWWW

Last match: Lyon 3-2 Paris FC, 08/05

Where they stand: 1st in Division 1 Féminine

POSSIBLE STARTING LINE-UPS ONE

Barclona (4-3-3): Paños, Torrejón, Irene Paredes, Mapi León, Rolfö, Aitana, Patri Guijarro, Alexia; Graham Hansen, Jenni Hermoso, Mariona

Lyon (4-3-3): Endler; Carpenter, Renard, Mbock Bathy, Bacha; Henry, Egurrola, Horan; D Cascarino, Hegerberg, Macario

POSSIBLE LINEUPS TWO

Barcelona (4-3-3): Paños; Marta, Paredes, Mapi, Rolfö; Aitana, Patri, Alexia; Graham, Hermoso, Crnogorcevic

Lyon (4-3-3): Endler; Carpenter, Renard, Nka, Bacha; Henry, Macario, Horan; Cascarino, Hegerberg, Malard

PREDICTION

Barça are the best team in the world, but Lyon have huge experience at this stage. This will be nervous and the first few minutes will be crucial, but I will trust the  ladies from both side to do the job and go back-to-back: 4-2 Barça.