Thousands are expected to make the journey north west from Barcelona to Bilbao, from Catalonia to the Basque region. As the Women’s Champions League reaches its conclusion at San Mames, it could feel like a home final for Barcelona, or as close to it without it being held in the Camp Nou itself. That is fitting, perhaps, given how much of Barcelona’s success is home-grown and the influence its iconic La Masia academy may have over this European showpiece against Lyon.
For the past decade, Lyon have been the superpower of women’s football in Europe, its star-studded squads lifting the Women’s Champions League a record eight times between 2011 and 2022. Barcelona have never beaten Lyon, losing Champions League finals to the French side in 2019 and 2022, but they now stand on becoming the new undisputed force in the women’s club game, unbeaten in Spain this season and going for back-to-back Champions Leagues. For that, Barcelona have their own identity to thank: it runs through its past, present and future.
