The Japan Times - Dynasties clash as Barcelona and Lyon face off in Women's Champions League final

The game at the 28,000-capacity Ullevaal Stadium in the Norwegian capital brings together, in the words of UEFA women's football director Nadine Kessler, "the two greatest teams probably of all time".

Lyon's total of eight titles in the competition is four more than the next most successful club, Eintracht Frankfurt.

Barcelona, meanwhile, have won three times and are appearing in a sixth straight final. It is their seventh in the last eight years.

It is also the fourth time these teams have played each other in the final, after wins for Lyon in 2019 and 2022 and Barcelona in 2024.

Last year, however, it was Arsenal took the title, overcoming Barca in the final in Lisbon after seeing off Lyon in the semis.

Lyon, now coached by former Barcelona boss Jonatan Giraldez, gained revenge over Arsenal in this season's semi-finals -- having also beaten the Gunners in the league phase.

It has been a fine first year in charge for Giraldez, with the club also looking good to win yet another French title and having collected both the French Cup and League Cup.

The Champions League would top it all for the team owned by American businesswoman Michele Kang, who were last year rechristened OL Lyonnes.

There are new stars at Lyon, such as Haiti's Melchie Dumornay, Germany's Jule Brand and American Lindsey Heaps, but veterans like Wendie Renard and Ada Hegerberg remain.

The latter, Ballon d'Or winner in 2018, has been at Lyon over a decade and is the all-time top scorer in the Women's Champions League. Saturday's final is a homecoming for her.

"It gives me goosebumps thinking about it," she told French media ahead of the game.

- Bonmati back -

The Spanish champions and Cup winners began their European run by hammering Bayern Munich and overcame the Germans again in the semi-finals.

Aitana Bonmati, winner of the Ballon d'Or for the last three years, has just made her comeback after a broken leg but it remains to be seen if she starts or is a substitute at kick-off.

"They were five very hard but gratifying months," Bonmati said of her time out.

Alexia Putellas, Bonmati's teammate and predecessor as Ballon d'Or winner, is out of contract at the end of the season and her future is up in the air.

There are also doubts about the futures of other key players, and the coach Pere Romeu, but for now Barcelona want to focus on more continental success.

This has been the first season since a new format was introduced in the Women's Champions League, with an 18-team league phase mirroring the 36-team men's equivalent.

Lyon and Barcelona were the top two teams in the league phase, with each managing five wins and one draw in six games.

"No team has marked European women's football more than Barca in the last few years," said Kessler, mindful that the Catalans are the only team that has proven capable of competing with Lyon over the long-term.

Recent Women's Champions League winners

2025: Arsenal (ENG)

2024: Barcelona (ESP)

2023: Barcelona (ESP)

2022: Lyon (FRA)

2021: Barcelona (ESP)

2020: Lyon (FRA)

2019: Lyon (FRA)

2018: Lyon (FRA)

2017: Lyon (FRA)

2016: Lyon (FRA)

K.Yamaguchi--JT