Barcelona and Lyon will come together tonight for the highly-anticipated 2024 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final at San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao.
Barcelona arrived in Basque Country this weekend as the current UWCL title-holders, having won the 2023 final in Eindhoven against Wolfsburg.
They beat the German side 3-2 last year to secure their second Champions League trophy following a prior 4-0 win over Chelsea back in 2021.
This will be Barcelona’s fourth consecutive UWCL final – but they have never been able to defeat Lyon before.
Lyon will be taking to the pitch tonight after an undefeated UWCL campaign this season.
The French side has won a record eight Champions League titles, more than any other team in history.
Lyon’s reign has previously dealt two defeats to the Blaugrana who lost 4-1 in 2019 and 3-1 in 2022 in Turin.
The two European giants will be playing their third UWCL final together in front of a sold-out crowd, and the match-up with be refereed by England’s Rebecca Welch.
The star-studded Blaugrana will be captained by Alexia Putellas, and feature Aitana Bonmatí (2024 Ballon d’Or winner), Salma Paralluelo (their top goalscorer this campaign), and Caroline Graham Hansen.
Mapi León has yet to make her comeback from long-term injury, but has traveled with the team to Bilbao this weekend.
Jonatan Giráldez, Barcelona’s manager, will be hoping for a fourth trophy this season before heading to the NWSL to coach the Washington Spirit.
Also bidding goodbye to their head coach, Lyon will be managed by Sonia Bompastor for one last match before she leaves for Chelsea next season.
Bompastor is the first woman to win the UWCL both as a player and as a head coach.
Olympique Lyonnais will feature Kadidiatou Diani (the competition’s top goalscorer in 23/24) and Captain Wendie Renard (who has played through ten UWCL seasons for the club).
But, they will miss Eugénie Le Sommer, who has played in nine, due to injury.
On the eve of the team’s arrival in Bilbao, Le Sommer signed a new contract with Lyon but is still unavailable for selection.
She is certain to be a big miss for Bompastor’s side.
However, Ada Hegerberg (the inaugural Women’s Ballon d’Or winner) was confirmed in Lyon’s squad list yesterday evening and could be a key difference-maker in tonight’s match.
Should she feature, she will hope to add to her tally of six UWCL final goals.
Kick off is at 18:00 CET/17:00 BST and will be streamed live on DAZN for free.
Featured image courtesy of Jenny Chen.