Barcelona won the 2025-26 UEFA Women’s Champions League – their fourth title in six years. After losing a heartbreaking final to Arsenal in the 2024-25 final, they were able to secure the trophy in the 2025-26 final.
Early scare
This Champions League final was going to be the last game for USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps with OL Lyonnes. She almost had a fairy tale ending when she found the back of the net in the 14th minute, only for the goal to be later disallowed by VAR.
Ewa Pajor’s revenge
There were so many narratives leading to
this final and one of them involved Polish striker Ewa Pajor. After losing five Champions League finals, three with Wolfsburg and two with Barcelona, dating back to the 2015-2016 campaign, she would finally take revenge and she did it emphatically.
Pajor was a main character in this match, opening the score in the 55th minute after Barcelona finally broke free of the pressing Lyonnais put them under and she showed all her class in a diagonal finish. She scored a brace in the 69th minute with Salma Paralluelo providing the assist.
The striker was chosen as Player of the Match after the game and she was also the Golden Boot, finishing with 11 goals in 10 competition matches.
Cata Coll, the unbreakable wall
Barcelona and Spain’s goalkeeper, Cata Coll, had a fantastic game, finishing the match with five saves and a clean sheet. In the first half, she had a great save in the disallowed goal scored by Lindsey Heaps, then she demonstrated her quick reflexes in a fingertip save when she denied Selma Bacha.
In the second half, her quick reflexes denied Ashley Lawrence. It’s also worth mentioning the Tabitha Chawinga breakaway she dealt with to protect the lead.
Cata Coll truly provided a masterclass in goalkeeping in this match.
Salma Paralluelo couldn’t be stopped
Besides the assist for Pajor’s brace, she also had a feast herself. Not only did she score a screamer in the 90th minute that showed all her technique but also put the nail in the coffin in stoppage time to complete Barcelona’s 4-0 result thanks to Pajor’s assist.
The 22-year-old became the youngest player to score a brace in a UWCL final since Marta did the same in 2004.
Caroline Graham Hansen wins at home
Three Norwegian players were playing this final: OL Lyonnes’ Ada Hegerberg and Ingrid Engen, and Barcelona’s Caroline Graham Hansen. For Graham Hansen, this final in Oslo was deeply emotional since this was her hometown, her city.
She was well acquainted with the stadium, having played soccer as a child very near to the facility, she helped to win the 4th title for Barcelona in front of her friends and family present among the 38,356 spectators. Although she couldn’t go 90 since she was coming back from injury, the battle in that right wing against Salma Bacha was worth of epic soccer battles.
“I thought: this is my home, I grew up here, and here started my journey… It was a good pressure. The finals are always special, you want to win, you want to perform at your best, and I’m so proud of the team today because it’s never easy,” said the Norwegian winger after the match.
Alexia Putellas’ fairy tale ending?
One of the main questions this year is ‘where is Alexia Putellas future?’ Her contract with Barcelona finishes this year and it’s been highly rumored that her future might be outside Spain.
She was asked about it after this game, but Barcelona’s striker remained cagey about whether she’s staying or leaving.
Only time will tell but this Champions League title is another piece in the outstanding year Alexia’s having and if she decides to leave her childhood club, she can leave knowing she had one of her best years and that she gave everything for the Blaugranas.
