LYON, France (AP) — Not only did OL Lyonnes miss the chance of a record-extending ninth Women's Champions League title, the crushing 4-0 loss to Barcelona in last season's final underlined its rival's ongoing status as the best side in the game.
When goal-scoring midfielder Caroline Weir joined Lyon from Real Madrid in the offseason, she understood how much that loss hurt.
“Everyone that was here last season knows what it took to get there. Obviously
the disappointment of that final, I know the players felt that,” Weir told The Associated Press in an interview at the club’s training ground on Monday.
“I’m a new player, I’m here to learn from the players who have that experience. Also the coach (Jonatan Giráldez) has been there and done it.”
The Women's Champions League begins Tuesday and sees 18 teams competing over six match days in the league phase, with the top four advancing to the quarterfinals and the clubs finishing between fifth and 12th entering knockout-phase playoffs.
After shrugging off a minor muscle injury, Weir could make her Lyon debut at Swiss club Servette on Wednesday.
“It starts now,” the 31-year-old Weir said. “It’s exciting that the games are coming a little bit quicker.”
She scored freely in Spain — 20 goals overall last season and 28 during the 2022-23 campaign — and is aware what makes Barca tick.
Painfully so, since Barca crushed Madrid 12-2 on aggregate in last season's quarterfinals. Weir played in the first leg, a 6-2 home loss.
“We all know how good they are on the ball,” she said.
The last five women’s Ballon d’Or awards have been split by Barca players Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati.
“Their mentality, they’ve gained so much experience of winning and I think that tells in their performances,” Weir said of Putellas and Bonmati. “Physically (too), I think that sometimes gets overlooked with the Barcelona team, if you look at their players individually, whether that be speed, strength.”
Barca’s first Champions League title in 2021 ended Lyon’s run of five in a row and, although Lyon won the competition the following year, it has not done so since. Barca has reached the past six finals, winning four.
Weir hopes she can help her club improve in key moments under the guidance of Giráldez, who previously guided Barca to two Champions League titles.
“The coach has been very clear with me about his expectations and what he likes of me as a player — impact the game in the final third (of the pitch),” she explained. “If that’s scoring goals or assisting, that’s where I judge my seasons. At the end of the season, I will look at that impact, especially in big games.”
While Weir’s scoring rate has increased, including 10 goals in six games for Scotland this year, she also has a more rounded game.
“I was mainly at Manchester City in my time in England. There I learned a lot tactically and then, moving to Spain, I was given quite a free role at Real Madrid which I really enjoyed,” Weir said. “The biggest challenge is to adapt (and) I’m excited to play in a different league.”
One of the factors in Weir joining Lyon was Michele Kang, the club president.
The American businesswoman, who has dedicated herself to growing women's soccer, also owns Washington Spirit in the National Women’s Soccer League and London City Lionesses.
“Just the way she speaks about the game, I think it’s really inspiring,” Weir said. “She wants equal opportunities and I think (Lyon's) a really cool club to be at. It was a factor in my decision. She is backing us all the way.”
In May last year, OL Féminin became OL Lyonnes. Kang told The AP that the name change was about creating “ our own identity as a woman’s team.”
While Kang’s strong commitment led her to finance a new female-specific training campus for the club, other women's teams are not as fortunate and some have even folded.
Weir says improving “sustainability” is crucial.
“The ceiling has been raised a lot but I think we need to keep raising. The lower levels, the access, the facilities. Grassroots level through to the lower tiers of football in all countries,” she said. “Also, (more) women in coaching roles in football, women in decision-making roles, there’s a way to go there.”
Growing up in the city of Dunfermline, Weir always had a ball by her side.
“Loving it, enjoying it, going down to training on the local playing fields and being the only girl, scoring goals,” she said. “I always had a ball with me, whether that was by myself kicking it against a wall, or in school, or with the boys’ team I played for, from age five to 10.”
Now she is Scotland's captain, calling it the “biggest honor” of her career, and is desperate to lead her nation at next year’s World Cup.
“I feel responsibility. We are obviously going into playoffs next month,” she said. “Reaching a major tournament is top of the priorities, alongside the Champions League.” ___
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