Barcelona vs Lyon - UWCL: TV channel, live stream, team news & prediction
Barcelona and Lyon meet in the 2022 Women’s Champions League final this weekend in a true clash of the heavyweights.
The pair have set the standards for European club football for the decade or more, with Lyon winning seven Champions League titles since 2010 – including five in a row from 2015/16 to 2019/20 inclusive – while Barcelona are reigning champions and the new queens of the sport.
This season’s final is a repeat of 2019 when a Barcelona side still feeling their way into the elite level were blown away by a Lyon team at the absolute peak of their powers.
It was 4-1 on that occasion and the final was over as a contest within the first half hour when Ada Hegerberg, who is now back following a 20-month injury layoff, scored a 16-minute hat-trick. Barça actually used that experience to inflict similar torture on Chelsea this time last year.
Between the firing-again Hegerberg in Lyon's ranks, 2021 Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas leading Barcelona, and an incredible support cast on either side, it doesn't gets any better.
Whether you’re a seasoned expert on women’s football or brand new, this is sure to be one hell of a game…
How to watch Barcelona vs Lyon on TV/live stream
When is kick off? Saturday 21 May 18:00 (BST)
Where is the match being played? Allianz Stadium
TV channel/live stream? DAZN UEFA Women's Champions League YouTube (worldwide), ITV4/ITV Hub (UK), TF1 (France), RTVE/TV3 (Spain)
Highlights? DAZN UEFA Women's Champions League YouTube
Referee? Lina Lehtovaara (FIN)
VAR? Tiago Martins (POR)
Barcelona team news
Barça have named a full travelling squad to give everyone a chance to be involved in the occasion, but injuries rule Jana Fernandez, Bruna Vilamala and back-up goalkeeper Cata Coll from actually being involved. B-team goalkeeper Meritxell Munoz has been called up to make up the numbers.
Lieke Martens could feature after being ruled out for four weeks this time last month and missing the semi-final against Wolfsburg.
Fridolina Rolfo is the only Barcelona player to have played a part in all 10 matches up to this stage of the competition and will make it a perfect 11 with an expected start in the final. That could be at left-back, with Leila Ouahabi struggling in the quarter-finals and dropped for both legs of the semi.
Lyon team news
Lyon are without five-time Champions League winner Dzsenifer Marozsan after the influential midfielder suffered an ACL injury on international duty last month.
Amel Majri is taking some time away from football, having announced her pregnancy in January.
There is major competition for a centre-back place in the starting XI, with Kadeisha Buchanan and Griedge Mbock Bathy given one leg of the semi-final each alongside Wendie Renard.
The front six of Amandine Henry, Catarina Macario, Lindsey Horan, Delphine Cascarino, Ada Hegerberg and Melvine Malard was the same both semi-final legs and could be again.
Barcelona vs Lyon predicted lineups
Barcelona (4-3-3): Panos; Torrejon, Leon, Paredes, Rolfo; Bonmati, Guijarro, Putellas; Hansen, Hermoso, Crnogorcevic
Lyon (4-3-3): Endler; Carpenter, Buchanan, Renard, Bacha; Henry, Macario, Horan; Cascarino, Hegerberg, Malard
Barcelona vs Lyon score prediction
One thing is sure, this won't be a repeat of the one-sided Lyon victory of 2019 because Barcelona are too good to let that happen again. But other certainties are few and far between as this really could be anyone's game.
Although both stacked with world class talent, neither has been absolutely flawless in getting to this point. Barcelona showed unusual lethargy and weakness against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals and were beaten at home by Wolfsburg in the second leg of their semi-final. Lyon, meanwhile, lost their quarter-final first leg to Juventus and had to work hard to get past PSG in the last four.
Expect it to be close, but be filled with action and immense quality. Eventually, one team will edge it to be crowned European champions again, maybe even in extra-time.
Prediction: Barcelona 3-2 Lyon
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