Figure caption,

Barcelona become champions of Europe

At a glance

  • Lyon have Lindsey Heaps goal ruled out for offside by VAR

  • Ewa Pajor scores twice in second-half to give Barcelona control

  • Salma Paralluelo adds two late goals to seal emphatic Barca win

  • Barca clinch their fourth Champions League title in six seasons

  • PLAYER RATER

ByAdwaidh Rajan
BBC Sport journalist

Barcelona secured their fourth Champions League title in six seasons as Ewa Pajor and Salma Paralluelo each scored twice in the second-half to thrash Lyon in the final in Oslo.

Pajor broke the deadlock in the 55th minute when she latched on to a pass from Patri Guijarro and planted a low left-foot strike across Lyon goalkeeper Christiane Endler.

Poland striker Pajor doubled the lead for Pere Romeu's side by tapping home a cross from Paralluelo 14 minutes later.

Paralluelo's thunderous strike from outside the box in the 90th minute made it 3-0 before Pajor turned provider for the Spain winger's second in added time that sealed a handsome victory.

It was an emphatic return to the top of the European game for the Spanish side after last season's surprise defeat by Arsenal in the final in Lisbon.

But it was not all smooth sailing for Barcelona, whose defensive vulnerability was shown inside 15 minutes as unmarked Lyon captain Wendie Renard forced a save from Cata Coll before Lindsey Heaps turned in the rebound.

Barcelona were reprieved though, as the goal was ruled out for offside following a video assistant referee review.

Endler then rushed off her line to try to collect a through pass and although Pajor lifted her shot over the stranded Lyon goalkeeper, her effort went wide.

Coll was again called into action later in the first half to keep out Selma Bacha's menacing free-kick before Pajor took control, with her 10th and 11th goals of the tournament meaning she overtook Arsenal's Alessia Russo as the top scorer.

Coll kept out a low drive from Vicki Becho and denied Tabitha Chawinga in a one-on-one before Paralluelo's late double gave the scoreline a one-sided look.

Barca analysis: Fourth title and a quadruple

Ewa Pajor of FC Barcelona celebrates scoring her team's second goal with teammatesImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Ewa Pajor also finished as the Champions League's top scorer with Wolfsburg in 2022-23

This was the fourth time Barcelona and Lyon had met in the Champions League final - and this time the Spanish club were facing someone who knows them better than most.

Lyon manager Jonatan Giraldez guided the Catalans to European glory in 2023 and 2024 but was now up against his former assistant Romeu.

Pajor again proved decisive on the biggest stage with a clinical double while 22-year-old Paralluelo's late double underlined her growing influence in this side.

There is, however, a summer of change on the horizon.

Two-time Ballon d'Or winner and captain Alexia Putellas - who received a standing ovation when she was substituted four minutes from time - along with Mapi Leon, Ona Batlle and Caroline Graham Hansen all have contracts that run out at the end of this season.

If this proves to be their final season with the club, they will have bowed out in style with a trophy quadruple.

Barcelona, who sealed a seventh consecutive Liga F title and lifted the Spanish Supercopa in January, added the Copa de la Reina to their haul last weekend with a 3-1 victory against Atletico Madrid.

And by claiming the club game's biggest prize by defeating Lyon, they completed the clean sweep for the first time since the 2023-24 season.

Lyon analysis: Giraldez's side undone by clinical Barca

Figure caption,

Heaps' opening goal for Lyon disallowed

Lyon's wait to return to the top of European football goes on.

The French side, who won five Champions League titles between 2016 and 2020, were chasing a record-extending ninth title and their first since American businesswoman Michele Kang bought the women's team in 2023.

Kang, dressed in all white and wearing her trademark sunglasses, was welcomed with loud cheers and waving scarves by the Lyon supporters during the warm-up.

But there were no celebrations from them at the final whistle.

Despite Lyon creating the better chances early on, they were undone by a clinical second-half display from Barcelona.

It underlined the scale of the task ahead for 34-year-old Giraldez, who joined last summer, and his players as Lyon look to reclaim their place at the summit of European football.

What's next for these teams?

Barcelona will return to Liga F action against Real Sociedad on Wednesday, 27 May (18:00 BST) in their penultimate game of the season.

Lyon, meanwhile, can complete a treble as they take on Paris FC in the final of the Premiere Ligue play-offs on Friday, 29 May (20:00).

Player of the match

Number: 17 E. Pajor
Average rating 9.33
Number: 17 E. Pajor
Average Rating: 9.33
Number: 13 Cata Coll
Average Rating: 8.53
Number: 9 Clàudia Pina
Average Rating: 8.50
Number: 7 Salma Paralluelo
Average Rating: 8.33
Number: 14 Aitana Bonmatí
Average Rating: 8.33
Number: 11 Alexia Putellas
Average Rating: 8.32
Number: 10 C. Graham Hansen
Average Rating: 8.17
Number: 22 Ona Batlle
Average Rating: 8.12
Number: 18 Kika Nazareth
Average Rating: 8.00
Number: 12 Patri Guijarro
Average Rating: 7.94
Number: 23 Aïcha Cámara
Average Rating: 7.85
Number: 24 E. Brugts
Average Rating: 7.67
Number: 16 Clara Serrajordi
Average Rating: 7.65
Number: 4 Mapi León
Average Rating: 7.32
Number: 2 Irene Paredes
Average Rating: 7.25

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.

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