In the stifling heat of the largely colorful Turin stadium The Blaugrana
, it was Lyon’s red and blue that ended up winning, thanks to a surprisingly clinical start to the match, scoring three goals in the first 33 minutes, three enough flashes to suddenly dismantle the Catalan base and everything. his certainties.
However, Lyonnais’ almost perfect evening could not diminish the dimensions of the achievement of Amandine Henry, Ada Hegerberg and Katrina Macario, against Barcelona who were logically presented as the favorite, who had only been defeated once in their last 49 matches, compared to 48 victories. .
The wide score, scored from the half-hour mark, could not reduce the scope of the Rhône club’s eighth European title, fifth in 6 years for Canadian Qadisha Buchanan.
Qadisha Buchanan celebrates her UEFA Women’s Champions League title with a Canadian flag.
Photo: Getty Images/Valerio Pennicino
At their lowest level a year ago after losing both continental and national teams to Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, Lyon have recovered superbly after twelve months.
With this new trophy in C1, hard-earned – the quarter-final first-leg defeat against Juventus, a perilous qualification against PSG in the break – OL is once again tasting its continental supremacy, perhaps never discussed like these two years, by PSG in France and Barcelona in Europe.
The happiness is likely to continue, because OL, at the top of the French D1 by five points over the Parisians, is two games away from celebrating the 15th national title that seems promised to them.
History will also remember that it was OL, a pioneering investment and consideration given to the women’s division, that won this pivotal edition of the UEFA Champions League, the first in the group stage, and also the first to have all of its meetings televised.
The first, above all, is to gather a lot of people in the stadium, with more than 585,000 spectators throughout the competition. 32,257 spectators attended the final match.
On the grass, the players rose to the occasion, with a gem signed by Henry from the sixth minute, a massive long shot into the skylight; Then an elegant cross from Pasha with a victorious header headed by Hegerberg (23), the top scorer in the history of the competition with 59 goals in 60 matches.
Macario added to the result at the conclusion of a nice movement (33), eight minutes before Alexia Butillas’ result was reduced, unable to find the mistake again despite the constant pressure in the second half.
The Barcelona captain, the superstar in her country since winning the Ballon d’Or in the fall, finished the competition as top scorer with only 11 successes.
The distinction she would undoubtedly exchange for success in this European summit, already elevated to the rank of classic.
