Barcelona Femení won the Champions League Finals with a major 4-0 defeat of their rivals, Lyon.
The match kicked off Saturday, May 23, with a slog of a first half that almost saw Lyon take control. After a goal by Lindsey Heaps was ruled offside, the two teams battled things out and ended the first half scoreless.
Lyon came into the game as the undisputed powerhouse. Prior to Saturday’s loss, the team had earned eight championship wins in the league.
Things changed during the second half, when Barcelona’s Ewa Pajor and Salma Paralluelo scored two goals apiece to guarantee the team’s victory.
The win was a special one for the team’s Caroline Graham Hensen, a lifelong fan of Barcelona, who has been with the team since 2019. “Obviously, there’s been a lot of things going on all season, so to win at home and close everything we’ve been going through, it’s amazing,” she told ESPN UK after the game.
“So it’s been extra special to win at home in front of so many fans again from Barcelona and also at my home ground, I grew up here,” she added. “I know every millimeter of this grass, so yeah, it’s very special and I can’t wait to bring the team out to party tonight. I’m happy.”
Lyon’s Ada Hegerberg also voiced her own disappointment. “It wasn’t our day today,” she said. “We didn’t really manage to exploit the spaces in behind them … that’s the tough part of these games, we’ve been privileged to enjoy so much success over the years, so we can’t stand here and hang our heads when it doesn’t go our way.”
Here’s a look at what happened during the big match.
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Fans were treated to an epic time
Barecelona hit all four of their goals right in front of their fans, which leant an even more thrilling atmosphere to the win.
Though both teams ended the first half scoreless, Barca dominated the second. Ewa Pajor finally landed the team’s first goal at the 55th minute, a feat she pulled off after several missed opportunities throughout the first. She landed the team’s second goal at the 70th minute, a moment that made the win feel nearly inevitable — but there were still around 20 minutes left in regulation.
Barcelona sealed the deal when Salma Paralluelo scored the team’s third goal right at the 90th minute. Seven minutes were added to the total time, which gave Paralluelo just enough time to add a fourth goal.
VAR technology shifted the game
Like a lot of sports, soccer referees have access to Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology that can be used in a match for goals, penalty calls, red cards, and in the event of a player mismatch. Saturday’s game was marked by an especially impactful use of VAR that ended up pushing the match further in Barcelona’s favor after officials missed an offside from Lindsey Heaps.
The call effectively put an end to Lyon’s momentum, which the team struggled to regain.
Ewa Pajor finally had the experience she’s wanted
Entering Saturday, Pajor had lost five Champions League finals.
“It’s special. I don’t know what I have to say. Just very happy and proud of my team,” a visibly emotional Pajor told ESPN UK after the game. “I think we played from the first minute to the end, a team we fight for every ball, we fight for the win. And this is the mentality for this team, and this is amazing.”
Pajor, who signed a three-year contract with Barcelona in 2024, also said, “Yes, the change for this club was the best moment in my career and I’m grateful, just grateful and that’s it.”
