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64 mins: The goal has certainly boosted Barca’s confidence and they are looking far more lively.
63 mins: Pina is on for Graham Hansen.
61 mins: Lyonnes produce another decent move, concluding with Becho forcing Cata Coll to tip it just wide.
The resulting corner is swiped over by Brand.
59 mins: Lyon need to settle back down …
57 mins: Lyon go up the other end and win a corner. Brand takes it shot and then gets it back but pings the ball straight out of play. What a waste.
Cata Coll is having a sit down, so everyone can take a rest. What a shambles.
GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Lyonnes (Pajor, 55)
Against the run of play, even if Barca have improved. The Polish forward receives a pass inside the box, gets the ball out of her feet and thrashes into the corner across Endler who can do nothing.
54 mins: Barca have a corner on the right … but Leon sends it over everyone and straight out of play. The assistant does not give it quickly, allowing Barca a chance from close range before reality returns.
Lyon show some nice football as part of a fine move but the final pass lets it down.
52 mins: The referee falls over and I have no idea why but everyone enjoys it.
It feels like the aggression levels have increased since the break.
50 mins: Hegerberg is through one on one but overthinks her finish, eventually forcing Cata Coll into a decent save. The offside flag goes up but it looks tight.
49 mins: Graham Hansen receives the ball on the edge of the box but she smashes well over the bar.
47 mins: A bit of a quiet start …
Second half
Here we go again!
Saurav emails: “Is Wendie Renard the greatest defender of our generation - men’s or women’s? I certainly think she has a creditable shout.
“Haven’t seen Barca Femeni be under so much pressure for a while now, I think they need to bring in Bonmati and Vicky Lopez as soon as they are able to get back control of the midfield.”
Gordon emails: “Tactically, Lyonnes have dominated, by pushing up and physically challenging Barcelona, which they are not used to. Barcelona cannot get any long spells of possession, and are being forced to untypically play the ball forward early. Barcelona’s best player has been Cata Coll - they’ve also committed far more fouls than the French side. Lyonnes know they are on top - and, once they replace the hapless Hegerberg with the much more potent Katoto, the goals will come.”
Half time: Barcelona 0-0 Lyonnes
A goalless first half dominated by the French side.
45+1 mins: Graham Hansen cuts in from the right and lets fly but her shot is deflected wide.
43 mins: Lyonnes have dominated this half. Barcelona have barely had any involvement. The Catalans will be happy to see half time, especially with the score goalless.
41 mins: Bacha eventually takes the free-kick, using plenty of power and whip, forcing Cata Coll into a flying save to her left to keep it out.
38 mins: Lawrence whips in a cross which Cata Coll punches clear.
In the next action, Pajor clatters into Dumornay just outside the box. She really should be going into the book.
36 mins: Putellas plays a sneaky pass to Pajoy on the edge of the box but she slices her shot well wide from 18 yards.
Parralluelo does well down the left and sends a low cross into the box but there is no one there to meet it.
A good couple of moments for Barca …
34 mins: Lyon have enjoyed around 60% possession. Maybe Barca are luring them into a false sense of security …
32 mins: Renard plays a superb pass through the Barca midfield for Bacha to chase. She reaches it down the left and whips in a cross but Cata Coll reads and collects.
30 mins: Lyon have another corner on the right and it creates pinball in the box but Barca scramble it clear.
28 mins: It is all Lyon at the moment, Barca need to change the dynamic.
26 mins: A Lyon corner is swung in from the right but it is greeted by a Barca head. The French side recycle it but cannot get a shot away.
24 mins: Dumoray has a chance to put in a cross but takes an extra touch, losing her the angle to find a teammate and Barcelona win the ball back.
Hegerberg looks like has the perfect chance inside she can’t get the ball under control soon enough and Putellas gets a block in.
Immediately after Brand goes through but has to shoot from a tight angle and cannot do the business.
22 mins: Leon takes ball and woman with a fierce tackle on Hegerberg but the defender comes off worse after catching a forearm in the neck.
20 mins: Lyon cause themselves problems by trying to play out from the back but Barcelona cannot make the most of it, despite a strong press.
18 mins: A simple ball over the top catches Lyonnes out; Endler thinks she can reach it but is nowhere near, allowing Pajor a chance to lob the goalkeeper but her shot goes just wide.
Now each team needs to settle back down and work things out. Lyon looking pretty calm and moving the ball quicker.
NO GOAL!
After a bizarrely long VAR review, the goal is chalked off for offside.
GOAL?! Lyon have a free-kick around 40 yards out, which is clipped into the box. Renard has a free header which the goalkeeper palms straight out and Heaps is there to nudged home from a yard or two.
12 mins: A first chance of the match. Putellas arrives in the box at the perfect time to meet a Graham Hansen cross but her shot lacks power and accuracy as it slips wide.
10 mins: Lyon are still looking the more comfortable but whenever they reach the final third their attacks seemingly break down.
8 mins: A lot of flirting so far but not much has really happened.
6 mins: Barcelona pump a free kick into the box but it is diverted well wide.
4 mins: Pajor barges into the back of Bacha to give away a free-kick.
Barcelona are yet to string two passes together.
2 mins: A third of the pitch is covered in shade but the rest is looking bright.
Lyon enjoy plenty of the ball early on as they look to calm any lingering nerves.
Kick off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
The players are heading out into the glorious Oslo sunshine.
Gordon’s been in touch: “I think Lyonnes will win today, as they present a physicality and a speed of movement that Barcelona rarely come up against. Bayern Munich gave Barcelona some problems in these respects in the semi-final, and Lyonnes are a considerable step-up from Bayern. Barcelona look to have recognised this, in selecting Parralluelo ahead of Pina. Lyonnes showed in the second leg of their semi against Arsenal that they can produce their best football when it really matters - and, in Dumornay, they have potentially the best woman player in the world. But, they have, to my mind, handicapped themselves by starting Hegerberg - so ineffective against Wolfsburg and Arsenal - instead of Katoto.”
Here is Tom Garry’s report from The Valley.
Charlton beat Leicester on penalties to reach WSL
Tom Garry
Sophie Whitehouse etched her name into Charlton folklore as she saved four penalties in the shootout to win her side promotion to the Women’s Super League and relegated Leicester in the process.
The Republic of Ireland goalkeeper’s heroics gave Charlton a 2-1 victory on penalties to settle the nerviest playoff tie you could imagine after a goalless 120 minutes. The result capped off a dismal season for Leicester, who have lost every match they have played in 2026, while for Charlton the joy was unbridled and it was a case of ‘second-time lucky’ after they had lost a decisive game on the regular season’s final day that had seen the miss out on automatic promotion.
Pre-match reading.
Starting lineups
Barcelona (4-3-3): Cata Coll; Batlle, Paredes, Leon, Brugts; Serrajordi, Guijarro, Putellas; Graham Hansen, Pajor, Parralluelo
Subs: G Font, T Font, Schertenleibm Torrejon, Pina, Bonmati, Nazareth, Lopez, Camara, Fenger, Ranera, Julia
Lyonnes (4-3-3): Endler; Lawrence, Renard, Engen, Bacha; Dumornay, Heaps, Yohannes; Becho, Hegerberg; Brand
Subs: Belhadj, Marchal, Schrader, Katoto, Egurrola, Fathallah, Sombath, Chawinga, Svava, Benyahia, Tarciane, Rafalski
Referee: Tess Olofsson
Preamble
It does not get much bigger than this. Neither Barcelona nor Lyonnes have made it this far through luck, they are the best two teams on the continent, boasting 11 Champions League titles between them.
Each side has won their respective domestic titles and will be looking to add a cherry in Oslo. Barcelona will look to outplay Lyon, with the slick football that has made them into the elite team they are, aided by being packed full of world class players, such as Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati.
Lyonnes, led by the former Barcelona head coach Jonatan Giraldez, are more physically imposing, which helped them battle past Arsenal in the semi-final. However, they certainly do not lack skill and quality across the park, with Wendie Renard providing the foundations at the back.
Let’s hope for a cracker!
Kick-off: 5pm BST
