The women of OL won their eighth Champions League this Saturday by winning against Barça in Turin (3-1). Les Fenottes reclaim their crown after being knocked out in the quarter-finals last season.
The reconquest therefore began with Turin. Stripped of all their national and continental trophies last year, the Fenottes won their 8th Women’s Champions League this Saturday by winning against FC Barcelona at the Allianz Stadium (3-1), in a 10th continental final where they will have shown character to tame the defending champions, who lost for the second time this season in all competitions. Alexia Putellas’ teammates still had the stinging defeat in the 2019 final in their throats, but this evening in Turin will leave a lot of regrets for the Spaniards.
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Maximum efficiency
Despite three times fewer supporters in the stands, the Fenottes were quick to launch this final on a stroke of genius from Amandine Henry. On recovery at the feet of Alexia Putellas, the French international opened the scoring with a superb shot from 30 meters. Stunned by the high pressing of Sonia Bompastor’s players, the European champions conceded the second goal on a class action from the duo Selma Bacha-Ada Hegerberg. On a precise cross from the first, the first Golden Ball in history propels the ball into the back of the net with a precise header.
OL took advantage of the weakness of the Catalan defence, like the hinge Leon-Paredes, to add a third goal after 30 minutes, through Catarina Macario, who was on her own to take back an offering from Hegerberg. An ideal start to the match for Fenottes, reminiscent of the 2019 final, when the Lyonnaises led 4-0 after the half hour (4-1 final score). However, the end of the first period was difficult for the seven-time European champions, as Alexia Putellas closed the gap on a good serve from Graham Hansen.
The impressive Lyon environment
In the obligation to score, the Barcelonans try to show a better face against the good organization of the Fenottes, in particular in the midfield, where the Bonmati-Patri-Putellas trio is eaten by the pair formed by Amandine Henry and Lindsey Horan . However, the Catalans manage to surprise the Lyonnaises with a few well-felt shots. Far from being to his advantage from the kick-off, Patri Guijarro only passed a few centimeters from scoring the goal of the competition with a 50-meter lob, but Christiane Endler was saved by her crossbar.
Despite the last twenty physically difficult minutes for the Lyonnaises, the daughters of Sonia Bompastor (the first woman to win the trophy as a player and coach, editor’s note) are holding up against the Blaugrana attacks and can raise their arms in the sky of Turin, synonymous with 8th continental title (2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and therefore 2022) and 32nd title for Wendie Renard, freshly extended. A release that will call for another, perhaps next week, since OL can secure their 15th title of champion of France if the team does not bow to PSG on Sunday.