Barcelona 2-0 Lyon: Jonatan Giraldez's side clinch back-to-back Women's Champions League titles... as Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas' strikes seal victory

Beating Lyon in a Champions League final had been about the only thing this Barcelona team had failed to do.

The French side had been the powerhouse of women’s football between 2011 and 2022 - winning a record eight European trophies and twice defeating Barca in a final - 4-1 in 2019 and 3-1 in 2022.

The tide had been turning, with Barca thrashing Chelsea to claim a first victory in 2021, but that defeat against Lyon in 2022 showed they still had work to do.

Even when they reclaimed their crown with a 3-2 victory against Wolfsburg last season, to have true dominance means to win again and again and again.

So, it was fitting that Aitana Bonmati, the world’s best player, put Barca ahead before Alexia Putellas, the former Ballon d’Or winner, sealed the game in added time.

The Catalans are now three-time European winners and have won a quadruple for the first time in their history. They have five to go to match Lyon’s record, but this victory at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao felt like a changing of the guard moment.

Barca are the best team in the world now - and it feels inevitable this will not be the last time they are lifting this trophy. There is quality all over the pitch and on the bench, with Putellas only coming on in stoppage time before her goal.

For England star Lucy Bronze, this is her fifth European trophy, with the defender having won three with Lyon before back-to-back victories with Barca. It is also a second for her England team-mate Keira Walsh.

Of course, it was not the ending Lyon boss Sonia Bompastor wanted. Though her exit is not yet confirmed, she is set to be announced as the new Chelsea manager in the coming days. Her new team know all too well just how difficult it is to beat this Barca side, with the Blues having suffered a narrow defeat in the semi-finals.

But it is not just on the pitch where Barca are superior. In the stands they hugely outnumbered their rivals.

It is only a short flight from Barcelona to the Basque region, but you would have been forgiven for thinking this was a home game for the Catalan side.

Every corner of the San Mames was covered with Barca fans, with just a handful of French supporters dotted around the stadium.

Given the chaos that currently surrounds Barca’s men’s team, it is perhaps no wonder supporters travel in huge numbers to cheer on their all-conquering women’s side.

Lyon did not seem phased by the hostile atmosphere, despite their every touch being greeted by whistles. The French side nearly opened the scoring early in the first half when Wendie Renard hit the post as Barca lived precariously at the back. 

But the Catalans grew into the game and should probably have gone ahead before half-time. Caroline Graham Hansen regularly caused Lyon’s defensive line problems, while Vanessa Gilles had to make a superb block to deny Mariona Caldentey.

Lyon remained dangerous on the counter-attack but Barca continued to dominate possession and, just past the hour mark, finally opened the scoring.

There was a slice of luck as Bonmati’s shot deflected off Gilles to sail over the head of Christiane Endler, but the beauty was in the build-up as the midfielder danced her way through Lyon’s defence before finding the net. 

Lyon had pushed hard for an equaliser as the game came to a close, but it meant they left themselves susceptible to counter-attacks and, in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Putellas sealed Barca’s victory with a fantastic first-time finish from just inside the box.

There had been some doubt over the future of Putellas before it was announced she had signed a new contract last week. The forward took her shirt off as over 90 percent of the stadium erupted. It was undoubtedly the perfect way to celebrate.