There is just one game left in the record-breaking season of the best women’s football that Europe can offer. Barcelona, reigning champions, will face Lyon, the dynasty whom reign ended only last year after five consecutive titles.
Women’s Champions League Final
Saturday, 21st of May
FC Barcelona – Olympique Lyon at 19.00 CET
Road to the final
FC Barcelona
Blaugrana had no problems in their group stage, conceding just one goal in 6 matches, winning the group with Arsenal, Hoffenheim and HB Koge. They faced Real Madrid in El Classico duel in the quarter-finals. After trailing in both legs, Barcelona showed true character, overturned the deficit and at the end secured the last 4 spot quite comfortably in front of 91,553 people at Camp Nou. The attendance record for the women’s football match was improved in the semi-final against Wolfsburg, when Blaugrana did most of the work already in the first leg with a 5-1 win and secured the second consecutive Women’s Champions League final.
Olympique Lyon
On the other side, Lyon faced FC Bayern, SL Benfica and BK Hacken in a group stage. With one defeat against Bayern, the record French champions still managed to qualify for the knockout rounds as a group winner. After losing the first leg of quarter-final against Juventus, Ada Hegerberg returned after long absence for the second leg and helped her team to wipe out the deficit and advance to the semi-final. In the French derby against PSG, Lyon managed to come out on top and booked a meet-up with Barcelona in the final.
The big #UWCL finale is here 🍿🍿
🇪🇸 Barcelona vs Lyon 🇫🇷
Who are you supporting? 💪#UWCLfinal pic.twitter.com/6KrwctuccZ— UEFA Women’s Champions League (@UWCL) May 21, 2022
Alexia Putellas vs. Ada Hegerberg
The most expected match-up of two greatest forwards that women’s football has. Alexia Putellas, officially the best footballer on the planet by winning Ballon d’Or and UEFA Women’s player of the year, currently leads the top-scorer charts of the Women’s Champions League (together with Tabea Wassmuth), will be one of the key players that Lyon’s defense will have to focus on.
Ada Hegerberg on the other side has just recently returned after a horrible injury that set sidelined her since January 2020. The all-time leading scorer of the Women’s Champions League already showed that she is back in form in the semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain. But is she already prepared for the 90 minutes of the highest quality football?
🏟️ Record attendances and soaring broadcast viewership worldwide have ensured the new-look @UWCL is a winner straight from kick-off.
But it is no accident or coincidence. Here's a thread of how it's happened over a season to remember.#UWCL pic.twitter.com/fRztgcWWy0
— UEFA (@UEFA) May 20, 2022
Regardless of the winner, Juventus Stadium in Torino will act as a stage for a great showcase of the women’s football. After a record-breaking season, with a total attendance of 555 673 fans across all 59 matches and over 14 million views on YouTube, it is time to seal the competition with a possibly the greatest final ever.