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C1 ladies: Barça-OL, the supporters facing the returnees

2022-05-20T18:46:26.111Z


Falling from PSG in the semis, the Lyonnaises will aim for an eighth coronation in the Women's Champions League - and the first since 2020 this Saturday, in Turin, against defending champions Barcelona.


The Catalan double or the return of the Lyonnaises?

The Women's Champions League final on Saturday (7 p.m.) in Turin offers a high-flying duel between Barcelona, ​​unstoppable defending champion, and Lyon, a benchmark club determined to reclaim its throne.

After having abandoned all their titles in 2021, in France and in Europe, the Lyonnaises are close to regaining the heights.

And to reaffirm their continental supremacy, they could not have dreamed of a better poster.

To discover

  • Champions League fixtures and results

FC Barcelona - Olympique Lyonnais is the ultimate challenge for both teams: a Spanish victory against the seven-time winner of the event would permanently install Barça in the continental landscape;

a French success would restore the implacable hierarchy of the last decade, marked by seven coronations in ten seasons for the "

Fenottes

".

Our history, we are here to write it.

There are two teams, one trophy.

Me, I'm hungry so I'll do everything to leave with it.

It will be up to us to hurt when we have to hurt

”, launched captain Wendie Renard, who approaches her 10th C1 final “

as if it were the first

”.

A transformed Barca

The French international was on the pitch in the previous confrontation between the two teams, in a one-sided 2019 final for OL (4-1) in Budapest, with a phenomenal hat-trick from Norwegian striker Ada Hegerberg in 16 minutes.

Read alsoC1 ladies: "For me, it's as if it were the first", assures the Lyonnaise Renard before her 10th final

From this humiliation in Hungary was born the Barça of today, transformed to become an insatiable winning machine in the wake of a workforce mainly composed of Spanish players.

Once we mourned this final, we were able to learn from our mistakes, understand where we were and what needed to be done to move up a gear, to become the team we are today. Today

, admitted captain Alexia Putellas on Friday, who scored twice in the semi-final first leg (5-1) against Wolfsburg in front of more than 91,000 spectators at Camp Nou.

In Barcelona, ​​the fervor of this historic season for the women's section will not wane: a giant screen will be installed on Saturday evening in Plaza Catalunya, where 20,000 people can be welcomed in an ephemeral fan zone.

In Turin too, at least 12,000 Spanish fans have been counted by UEFA, but they will undoubtedly be many more among the 35,000 spectators expected... In contrast, only 2,000 Lyon fans are expected in the Italian heath, where the thermometer could approach 35 degrees on Saturday.

Putellas-Hegerberg, duel of queens

On the lawn, the Barcelona women approach this final in steamroller mode, after a season with 30 wins in 30 matches in their national championship.

In the Champions League, despite the surprising defeat - without consequence - at Wolfsburg in the semi-final second leg (2-0), they pranced in the lead in many statistical sectors, from possession of the ball (66.3% on average) to goals scored (37), and include in their ranks the co-top scorer of the edition, the inevitable Putellas (10 goals), holder of the Ballon d'Or.

The Spanish captain is also putting her individual supremacy into play, in a promising distance duel with Hegerberg, the first Ballon d'Or in history in 2018 and top scorer in the event (58 goals).

Playing this kind of final is something very special.

These are huge finals, so important for women's football in general

", assured the Norwegian, delighted with

the "interest

" aroused by this poster during a "

revolutionary

" edition of the C1, which changed format and all of whose matches have been broadcast.

For its tenth Champions League final in 21 editions since the creation of the event, Lyon has an almost complete squad, with the exception of long-time absentees Dzsenifer Marozsan and Amel Majri.

The same is true for Barça, who have just recovered one of their attacking stars, the Dutch Lieke Martens, back after two months of absence due to a thigh injury.

Sure of their strengths, the two teams can now compete for the throne in a summit that is likely to be a milestone.

Source: lefigaro

All sports articles on 2022-05-20

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