Where the 2026 Women's Champions League final was won: Barcelona 4-0 OL Lyonnes
Saturday, May 23, 2026
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The protagonists and our reporters analyse where the 2025/26 UEFA Women's Champions League final was decided.
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OL Lyonnes tied Barcelona in knots in the first half of the UEFA Women's Champions League final in Oslo, but the eight-time winners came unstuck after the interval.
Ewa Pajor and Salma Paralluelo both struck twice helped Barcelona win their fourth European title, though Cata Coll's presence in goal was likewise crucial as Pere Romeu's side recorded an emphatic victory.
Where did the coaches and players think the final was decided?
Pere Romeu, Barcelona coach: "Even though we pulled away on the scoreboard, it was a real team match. Cata [Coll] saved us in a couple of situations, then we scored and we kept pushing."
Caroline Graham Hansen, Barcelona forward: "It was close and OL Lyonnes had the initiative in the first half. Then we scored and kept control of the game, then we scored again, then they went for it and we got two more. Maybe the result [is not an entirely fair reflection], but overall we deserved it."
Alexia Putellas, Barcelona captain: "In the end, everything turned out perfectly, just as we hoped. It was the game plan: we knew that in the second half they were going to leave spaces, and what we had allowed in the first half couldn't happen again, and that's how it went."
Cata Coll, Barcelona goalkeeper: "I'll defend this badge and my team-mates to the end. I knew that, with a clean sheet, we had a better chance to win."
Jonatan Giráldez, OL Lyonnes coach: "Neither team created many chances. We were very solid defensively, especially in the first half. But Barcelona were extremely clinical in the final third. Ewa Pajor and Salma Paralluelo were outstanding. Once the game became more open because of the scoreline, we tried to add more attacking players to create more opportunities, but we were unable to find the goal we needed."
Lindsey Heaps, OL Lyonnes midfielder: "We played very well, especially in the first half. We created chances but didn't take them, while Barcelona did."
Christiane Endler, OL Lyonnes goalkeeper: "The idea was to keep the ball, take possession away from Barcelona and control the game. We managed to do that for large parts of the match. Unfortunately, after the goals, we lost a bit of our organisation and could not maintain the game plan until the end."
Where did our reporters think the final was decided?
Andrea De Ferrater, Barcelona reporter
Everything changed after the break. A tight, competitive first half gave way to another reminder of the aura surrounding this Barça side – a team that always seems able to find another gear on the biggest stage. The intensity increased, the attacking combinations clicked and suddenly Barcelona were unstoppable. Ewa Pajor delivered a decisive double to take her clear as the competition's leading scorer before Salma Paralluelo's stunning finish and quick second sealed another historic European night for a club that are now in the realms of dynasty.
Zacharie Adjemien, OL Lyonnes reporter
The French side actually succeeded in neutralising some of Barcelona's key strengths for a time. Jonatan Giráldez’s team restricted the Catalan side's control of possession for long periods through an aggressive and compact midfield structure, led by Lindsey Heaps, Melchie Dumornay and Lily Yohannes. However, Barcelona gradually found solutions through wider areas and transitions, and stretched Lyon's defensive shape more consistently after the break. OL Lyonnes remained disciplined and competitive, but Barcelona showed greater composure in the big moments.
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