For the first time in four years, OL Lyonnes will step onto the pitch with a single goal: to reclaim the Women’s Champions League trophy. Once the undisputed queen of European football with eight titles, the Lyon-based club now faces a daunting challenge—the dominance of FC Barcelona, a team that has reached six consecutive finals in the competition (excluding the COVID-affected year) and secured three victories (2021, 2023, 2024). This Saturday at 6 PM in Oslo, Norway, the stage is set for an epic showdown between these two powerhouses.
OL Lyonnes targets a historic quadruple with Champions League glory
Under the guidance of former Barcelona coach Jonatan Giráldez, OL Lyonnes is on the brink of achieving something no French women’s team has done before: a quadruple. After securing the Coupe de la Ligue on March 14 and the Coupe de France on May 10, the team aims to add the Women’s Champions League and the Arkema Première Ligue title (against Paris FC on May 29) to their trophy cabinet. The ambition is clear—dominate the season and send a message across Europe.
“We set out to reach four finals, and we’ve done it. Now, we need the four trophies. We want to show Europe that we’re back, stronger than ever, and we want to make the French people proud,” declared Selma Bacha, the 25-year-old full-back, with unwavering conviction.
The team’s captain, Wendie Renard—who has amassed an astonishing 41 trophies with OL Lyonnes—echoed Bacha’s determination: “We’re writing history here, crafting something extraordinary. But it only counts if we win. History remembers only the victors.”
“We have a squad of world-class players. Winning trophies is what this club is about, added Melchie Dumornay, the 22-year-old sensation who recently claimed two Player of the Season awards. We want to showcase our talent, prove that the club has evolved, and outperform our last encounter with Barcelona.”
A ninth Champions League title would further cement Lyon’s status as Europe’s most successful women’s football club. Ada Hegerberg, the first-ever female Ballon d’Or winner in 2018, reflected on the club’s enduring legacy: “From the outside, it might have seemed easy to dominate for so long. But it never was. It’s remarkable that we’re back in another final, despite changes in the coaching staff and the departure of many legends. I’ve always believed Lyon is the best club to win titles.”
Oslo’s stage: a sentimental journey for Lyon’s Norwegian stars
Beyond the statistics and accolades, this final carries a deeper significance for Lyon’s two Norwegian players, Ada Hegerberg and Ingrid Engen. Playing in Oslo offers them a chance to bring a trophy home and showcase the pinnacle of women’s football to their home nation. Hegerberg, who has spent 12 years at Lyon, expressed her excitement: “I can’t wait to return to Norway with my team to display our greatness to the Norwegian people—especially someone like Wendie Renard. She’s one of the greatest players in women’s football history, and I want to show the world her class, her unmatched class.”
“Playing in Norway holds a special place in our hearts. We carried this weight on our shoulders—Ada and I wanted nothing more than to bring this match to our country, to the very stadium where we usually play for the national team,” shared Ingrid Engen, who joined Lyon from Barcelona in the summer of 2025.
For Lyon’s loyal supporters unable to travel to Norway, the match will be broadcast live on a giant screen at Place des Terreaux, where the club will inaugurate its first-ever fan zone dedicated to OL Lyonnes.
