• Barcelona secured a 2-0 win over Lyon to retain the UEFA Women’s Champions League trophy
• Aitana Bonmati and substitute Alexia Putellas made the difference for Barcelona
• Lyon last won the competition in 2022 in Turin

Barcelona edged a tense 2-0 win in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final against Lyon to retain their title.

The Catalan giants won the competition only 12 months ago, but Lyon remained the one team they were yet to get the better of. That all changed on Saturday in Bilbao as Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati made the difference in a nervy affair at San Mames.

Deep in stoppage time, substitute Alexia Putellas made it two to put the result beyond doubt and celebrations ensued inside the stadium. Lyon, the giants of the competition for so many years, were toppled by Barcelona at last.

How the game unfolded

It was a relatively even first half of action as Barcelona had more of the possession, but couldn’t create much with it. Lyon carved out the first major opportunity of the game following some good link up play from Melchie Dumornay and Kadidiatou Diani, but a foul was eventually awarded in Barcelona’s favour.

Caroline Graham Hansen was Barcelona’s main creative outlet in the early exchanges as she found some space down the right and picked out Fridolina Rolfo, but the eventual effort was off target. Lyon then put the pressure on as Lucy Bronze very nearly steered an attempted clearance from Selma Bacha’s effort into her own net.

Bacha was then called into action down the other end as Patricia Guijarro picked up a loose ball from Lindsey Horan and charged into the Lyon box. Her effort was parried by goalkeeper Christiane Endler and it very nearly rebounded into the back of the net, if not for a goal line clearance from Bacha.

Just after the hour mark, Bonmati showed exactly why she’s one for the big occasion as she charged past the Lyon defence and her effort from the tightest of angles deflected into the back of the net.

Diani came the closest to levelling the scoreline late on as she unleashed a shot from distance. It curled marginally wide of the top corner, but showed Lyon weren’t ready to give in just yet.

Despite six minutes of added time, Barcelona were able to hold on and see out a historic win. Substitute Putellas ensured Lyon were denied a ninth crown by adding a second right at the death.

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