Our 3️⃣ points as impressive Lyon beat Barcelona to UWCL title | OneFootball

An impressive Olympique Lyonnais side beat Barcelona 3-1 on Saturday to win the 2021/22 UEFA Women’s Champions League title.

This is what we made of it.

Experience speaks volumes

When you think of the Women’s Champions League, Lyon’s impressive trophy cabinet is one of the first things that comes to mind.

And throughout the 90 minutes in Italy, the French club proved why they are the most successful side in this competition with an inch-perfect display against the reigning champions despite only 39% possession and 13 attempts to Barcelona’s 15.

Amandine Henry’s vision kick-started the party, captain Wendie Renard didn’t put a foot out of place and the inevitable Ada Hegerberg rose to the occasion once again.

The experience within the squad at this level of competition knows exactly how to get the job done and they cut through Barcelona with ease because of it.

Prior to the match, Lyon players stressed to the media that they had a point to prove and they have certainly reminded the football world not to forget about them just yet.

Selma Bacha the game-changer

With plenty of superstars on the pitch, the one player who really impacted the final was Selma Bacha.

The defender was gliding through Barcelona with ease, operating as a vital part of both Lyon’s attack and defence along the left-wing.

And it was her cross into the box that led to the eventual winner which Ada Hegerberg buried into the net.

Her influence is consistent, too, as Bacha tops the competition’s assist charts (nine).

Oh, and did we mention she’s only 21?

What now for Barça?

Barcelona’s performance in last year’s final against Chelsea signaled the Spanish side may be another giant in women’s football.

And one year later, they continued their impressive dominance with a perfect league season (30 wins from 30 and a goal differential of +148) alongside just one loss in the Women’s Champions League (2-0 against Wolfsburg).

However, this final against Lyon was arguably their biggest test of all and the side was left stunned after only 30 minutes much to everyone’s surprise.

So while Barcelona’s rapid rise hints they may be the next club to dominate women’s football, there is still plenty to learn.

How they respond to this loss will be their next big test.