Barcelona Women’s Champions League final matchup set by Lyon

record-breaking eight victories After overcoming Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 on the road on Sunday to win their semi-final match 5-3 overall, Lyon will take on holders Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League final the following month.

With a 3-2 lead from their home first leg against their national rivals last week, Lyon took the lead early in the second leg in the French capital thanks to a goal from Selma Bacha.

The day before halftime, Tabitha Chawinga pulled one back for PSG, but late in the game, Haitian star Melchie Dumornay scored for Lyon to win the match and seal the draw.

On May 25, Lyon will play Barcelona in the final in the Spanish city of Bilbao. Barcelona defeated Chelsea 2-1 on aggregate in the other semifinal match.

This guarantees that one of the two teams that have dominated the competition in recent years—sharing the last eight Champions Leagues between them—will win the title once more.

The title was recaptured by Barcelona last season, but Lyon had won it six times in seven years. Additionally, Lyon has defeated Barcelona twice in the championship game—winning 3-1 in Turin in 2022 and 4-1 in Budapest in 2019.

With eight Champions League wins, the French team has unquestionably set a record. More than four championships have not been won by any other team.

Last week’s first leg saw Lyon take the lead in the tie after mounting an incredible comeback from a 2-0 deficit at home to win 3-2 thanks to three goals in the final seven minutes.

By taking the lead three minutes into the second half in the bright Parc des Princes, they increased on that and dashed PSG’s chances of winning the match again.

Bacha attempted a short corner from the right, but custodian Constance Picaud stopped her low shot with her left foot, and Bacha scored at the near post.

PSG were seeking revenge for defeats against Lyon at the same stage in 2020 and in 2022, as well as a loss on penalties in the final in 2017.

They were given hope shortly before half-time when Marie-Antoinette Katoto picked out Chawinga and the striker from Malawi fired a low strike into the far corner for her sixth goal in the competition this season.

The hosts then spent the second half chasing the game but Lyon made sure of their victory with nine minutes left when Amel Majri deftly laid the ball back for Dumornay to score.

Barcelona sealed their spot in the final on Saturday when they beat Chelsea 2-0 in London to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit.

Reigning Ballon d’Or Aitana Bonmati levelled the scores on aggregate in the first half at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea had Kadeisha Buchanan sent off just before the hour before Fridolina Rolfo’s 75th-minute penalty won the tie for the defending champions.