Barça lifts the fourth Champions in a crazy afternoon in Oslo

OsloThere are scripts that seem to be written. And this Champions League's could only have one winner: Barça. Pere Romeu's team – who wins the Women's Champions League in his second year in charge – regains the European crown it lost a year ago in Lisbon and now has its fourth Champions League title (4-0). The Blaugranes draw level in second place with Eintracht Frankfurt with four titles each, only behind Olympique Lyonnais, who has eight.

The French team lost another Champions League final against a Barça –after what happened two seasons ago in Bilbao– which confirms the change of cycle in Europe. The Oslo final will be remembered for many things: logistical difficulties in traveling to Norway, Graham Hansen playing at home, the redemption of a team much criticized during the season, or the demonstration that sentiment can win over money.

But the Oslo final will also be remembered for breaking two curses. Ewa Pajor was able to celebrate her first Champions League after having lost the five previous finals she had played –four with Wolfsburg and one with Barça–. The Polish forward, with a brace in the final, became the top scorer of the season with eleven goals. Since 2017-18, it had been eight seasons since the top scorer of the Champions League was not from the competition's winning team.

Cata Coll saves Barça

Barça started the match with a lot of nerves. It was hard to recognize Pere Romeu's team – very imprecise in passing – against an Olympique Lyonnais that showed its dominance through very physical play that the blaugranes players suffered, among them Clara Serrajordi, who at just 18 years old was a starter in a Champions League final. All this in her first season with the Barça first team.

The first chance of the match, however, was for the blaugrana team after an individual play by Graham Hansen that ended with a shot by Alexia Putellas directly wide, a few centimeters from the goal defended by Endler. Despite this, the atmosphere was cold. The 4,000 Barça fans colored part of the stands of a full Ullevaal stadium (24,258 spectators), from where they tried to be the twelfth player.

Pere Romeu's team never really got comfortable, and Lyon – who also didn't have a great game – gave the blaugranes a warning. Cata Coll – the best of the Catalans in the first half – saved the 0-1 with a great save to prevent Renard's goal, who had headed in a free-kick taken by Bacha. The Balearic goalkeeper couldn't stop Heaps' shot, but the American player was offside. Barça was saved.

It would not be the only time Cata Coll would be providential throughout the final. The Mallorcan also stopped Bacha's free-kick with a great stretch and held up very well in a one-on-one with Ada Hegerberg, despite the action being disallowed for offside by the Norwegian forward. Alexia Putellas also worked in defense to prevent Hegerberg's goal after a cross from Jule Brand.

Ewa Pajor brace to defeat Lyon

Barça went from more to less in the final –just like the fans, who also knew how to play their part by cheering on the team when it needed it most–. Ewa Pajor tried to take advantage of a moment of disconnection from the French defense –center-back Renard and goalkeeper Endler did not understand each other– with a lob in front of Endler's poor exit, but the ball went wide.

She was not accurate in the first half, but the Polish forward –who until this Saturday in Oslo had not won any Champions League– was responsible for putting the first goal on the scoreboard after a pass from Patri Guijarro. Pajor beat Endler with a cross shot in front of the euphoria of the thousands of culers who traveled to Oslo, –despite the logistical problems to get to Norway.

But Olympique Lyonnais didn't make it easy at all, as just a few minutes after Barça's goal, they managed to equalize. First, with a shot from Becho that Cata once again saved with a great hand, and later with another one-on-one situation – this time with Chawinga – which the Balearic goalkeeper once again stopped.

And it was Pajor again who was chosen to score the second goal and bring Barça closer to their fourth Champions League. A counter-attack from Barça – which knew how to adapt to the game's script – ended with a cross from Brugts to the far post, where Salma combined with Pajor amidst the absolute euphoria of the blaugranes, which became total with the third and fourth goals from Salma Paralluelo.

Graham Hansen was able to receive a great ovation at home while Barça was close to a new Women's Champions League. The Blaugranas –led by Pere Romeu– gave a lesson to the entire football world. With a short squad, with homegrown players like Clara Serrajordi, a starter in the final, and with injuries, they were able to defeat a team built on money. Barça defeated Olympique Lyon, managed by Jonatan Giráldez and Michele Kang – who for the first time since lifting their first Champions League in 2011 will go four years without lifting one – and are once again the best team in Europe.