UWCL Final: Five keys to the game as Barça take on Lyon 🔑 | OneFootball

The Women’s Champions League final is upon us! And here are five keys to the showdown in Turin.

The two Ballon d’Or winners

Ada Hegerberg (2018) and Alexia Putellas (2021) are two of three winners since the Ballon d’Or was introduced for the women’s game and they go head-to-head in Turin.

A classic striker, Hegerberg, who has the most goals in the history of this competition, has returned from a 21-month lay-off this season to score 15 goals in 24 league and European appearances.

But her crown has been taken by Putellas, an all-round midfielder with more goals (10) than appearances (nine) in the Champions League this season. In terms of prestige, it doesn’t get bigger than these two players meeting on this stage.

A world class supporting cast

Putellas may be the biggest name but she is by no means alone in the Barcelona midfield.

Patri Guijarro controls the game from the base of midfield, while Aitana Bonmatí is another superb hard-working, creative, technical midfielder.

This team isn’t all about Putellas and the midfield isn’t either.

Two top defenders

Wendie Renard and Kadeisha Buchanan will go their separate ways this summer, though Lyon will at least hold on to one of them. Buchanan is set to leave the club but Renard, a seven-time Champions League winner with an eye for goal, has signed a new deal after rumours she was heading for the exit door.

The pair will line up at centre-back together for the last time for the club and they will have to put in a huge performance to keep Barcelona out.

Catarina Macário’s ability to find space

If Lyon can keep Barça out and have moments to threaten at the other end, Macário will be crucial: no Lyon player has more goals in the league or the Champions League this season.

The Brazilian-born American floats around outside the box before darting into gaps, always on her toes and sniffing out goalscoring opportunities.

A fine set-piece taker as well, her efforts in supporting Hegerberg up front may be Lyon’s best route to goal.

Barcelona’s huge threat on the wings

Though the midfield is so talented, Barcelona have more than enough to offer in other areas as well.

With arguably two of the world’s most underrated world class players —Caroline Graham Hansen on the right and Fridolina Rolfö on the left (sometimes as a wingback) — Barcelona are just as dangerous on the touchlines as they are in the centre of the park.

Doubling up on them isn’t an option, so how do you cover their threats and all the talent in the middle at the same time?