BILBAO, Spain, May 26, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas
struck to earn Barcelona their third women's Champions League trophy,
securing a 2-0 triumph over record eight-time winners Lyon on Saturday.

The defending champions had never beaten the French giants, losing in the
2019 and 2022 finals against them, but finally succeeded in Bilbao to compete
a spectacular quadruple this season in coach Jonatan Giraldez's last match in
charge.

Bonmati pounced after 63 minutes and substitute Putellas finished the job in
stoppage time to avenge Barcelona's prior defeats by Sonia Bompastor's side.

Securing their third Champions League trophy from five final appearances
across the last six seasons, Barcelona demonstrated that they are the new
powerhouse of the women's game.

"(It's) a dream day, it is difficult to explain with words the feeling I have
now. It is a special moment," said Giraldez.

"It is one of happiest days of my life."

Barca's stars had insisted that this time they were capable of beating Lyon,
adding experience and mental strength to their undoubted talent, and so it
proved at a packed San Mames.

Backed by the vast majority of a 51,000 record crowd at a women's Champions
League final, Bonmati and her side completed one of the few challenges
remaining to them.

"It's the first time we've beaten Lyon. I'm proud of the team, and we know
that with these fans we have, we can't fail," Bonmati told DAZN.

"It's incredible what we're living through as a team, I'm so lucky... to see
we're creating that for so many people, the historic amount of fans we've
brought, it's the proudest I've felt, I wouldn't change it for anything."

Giraldez started Mariona Caldentey in attack and moved Fridolina Rolfo to
left-back, dropping Ona Batlle to the bench alongside two-time Ballon d'Or
winner Putellas.

Lyon left Ada Hegerberg started on the bench too, with the all-time top
scorer in the competition's history struggling for form after injury.

Lucy Bronze deflected a ball onto her own crossbar and Lyon's towering
captain Wendie Renard hit the outside of the post as Barcelona suffered a
couple of early jitters.

After going four goals down by half-time in the 2019 final and three down in
2022, this time the Catalans dug deep to hold it together at the back.

- Breakthrough -

Barca threatened increasingly at the other end. Patri Guijarro, who scored
twice in last year's final against Wolfsburg, broke in for their first big
chance after half an hour.

Christiane Endler saved and Selma Bacha cleared the ball off the line after
it rebounded back towards goal.

Barca's Caroline Graham Hansen, in sparkling form this season, gave left-back
Bacha a torrid time and had 11-time finalist Renard backpedalling fearfully
near the end of the first half, but dragged her shot wide.

Barcelona made their quality count after the hour mark when Bonmati sent them
ahead.

The Ballon d'Or winner had been quiet but arrived to collect Caldentey's
clever pass and burst into the area.

Bonmati's low shot deflected off Vanessa Gilles and flew over the helpless
Endler, for her sixth goal of the tournament.

Champions League top goalscorer Kadidiatou Diani curled agonisingly over for
Lyon as Bompastor's side tried to fight back. Hegerberg headed off target as
Lyon's chances ebbed away.

"We have to recognise Barcelona had a great match and deserved to win even
though it's hard to accept it," said Bompastor, tipped to join Chelsea next
season, although she stayed tight-lipped on her future.

"We lacked attacking efficiency, we should have scored a goal."

Eventually Putellas, on as a late substitute, put on the captain's armband
and settled the game by rifling into the top corner to get Barcelona's
celebrations started early.

"Obviously it's a dream come true, what we have achieved," said Putellas
after her goal locked in Barcelona's quadruple.

Bronze who won the competition for the fifth time -- including three times
with Lyon -- praised Putellas.

"She's the captain of the team, she's the 'queen' of Barcelona for a reason,"
said Bronze.

"She's got the quality to do that in the last minute of the Champions League
final when we were up against it at the end and just sealed the win for us."