Chelsea fans will see exactly what ‘incoming boss’ Sonia Bompastor is made of in Lyon’s Champions League final against Barcelona… winning a farewell trophy will prove she’s the right person to succeed Emma Hayes
- Holders Barcelona and record winners Lyon meet in the Champions League final
- The outgoing managers of both clubs will look to end successful spells on a high
- Has Chelsea offered Manchester United a way out of Erik ten Hag’s darkness through the departure of Mauricio Pochettino? – Listen to It’s All Kicking Off! Podcast
In a rematch of the 2022 Women’s Champions League final, Barcelona and Lyon head to Bilbao’s 50,000-seat San Mames Stadium on Saturday for a showdown of major importance for both managers.
Holders Barcelona, who defeated Wolfsburg in a dramatic 3-2 comeback in last year’s final, will part ways with boss Jonatan Giraldez next month after their remaining two league matches as he crosses the pond to take on NWSL side Washington Spirit to take.
The Spanish side secured a fifth consecutive Liga F title last week with four games remaining, as well as a win in the Supercopa de Espana Femenina and an 8-0 win in the Copa de la Reina, marking a hugely successful final season marks for the Spanish team. Barcelona boss.
But there is one final hurdle standing in the way of Giraldez and his quest for a quadruple: eight-time UWCL champions Lyon.
Victorious of Division 1 Female three years in a row after winning the competition a record seventeen times, Sonia Bompastor’s side represent the main point of contention for Barcelona, with the French team playing four-on-four against their European neighbors.
Barcelona and Lyon face each other in the Women’s Champions League final on Saturday
Barcelona are the current holders and defeated Chelsea in the semi-finals to reach Bilbao
Lyon cruised through an all-French semi-final against PSG to set up a repeat of the 2022 final
Barcelona boss Jonatan Giraldez and Lyon counterpart Sonia Bompastor hope to end their time at their respective clubs by winning the Women’s Champions League
Their most recent match in 2022 ended in heartbreak for Barcelona, then UWCL holders, who were tipped for back-to-back titles but lost 3-1 in Turin.
This time the stakes are even higher as Barcelona have the chance to qualify for the inaugural edition of the Women’s Club World Cup in 2026 with a win over Lyon – and vice versa.
Giraldez will next be battling to go out with a bang, but he isn’t the only manager determined to finish strong – as Lyon coach Sonia Bompastor prepares to take over from Emma Hayes at Chelsea next season.
With the WSL side waiting until Saturday’s final whistle to officially confirm Bompastor’s arrival, the Lyon manager will look to ensure a clean sweep against her rivals and demonstrate why she is the right choice for the Blues.
Bompastor’s impressive list of accolades speaks for itself, with the France boss becoming the first person to win the Champions League as a player and as a coach following Lyon’s 2022 success.
Bompastor led Lyon to victory over Barcelona in 2022 as the club won the tournament for the eighth time
The outgoing Lyon boss will be tasked with continuing Chelsea’s dominance of the English game, with Emma Hayes having left the Blues to take charge of the US women’s team.
Leading a squad full of talent, including the tournament’s all-time top scorer Ada Hegerberg, and record title holders Wendie Renard and Eugenie Le Sommer, victory for Lyon and Bompastor would confirm a smart choice by Chelsea.
With the WSL champions yet to get their hands on the UWCL trophy after falling to Barcelona in the semi-finals, Bompastor’s move could be the answer to Chelsea’s bid for European glory next season.
Whatever the outcome on Saturday, one thing is certain: both Barcelona and Lyon will have to make a fresh start next season with the departure of two hugely successful managers.
