Lyon reassert Women's Champions League supremacy in new-look season

The UEFA Women's Champions League underwent the biggest change since its rebranding from the UEFA Women's Cup in 2009 but there was nothing new about the winners in 2021/22.

A 16-team group stage, with central marketing and a global TV deal with DAZN/YouTube, transformed the competition as more than half a million fans attended the matches to shatter attendance records. Holders Barcelona stormed through to the final but there they were dethroned by Lyon, who claimed the title for the eighth time, four more than anyone else.

With more associations now entering two teams and the top six leagues earning three spots, there were a record 72 entrants and only four guaranteed group berths. The other 68 were narrowed down to 12 by two rounds of qualifying, newcomers Real Madrid upsetting Manchester City but the likes of Lyon, Wolfsburg and Arsenal making it safely through.

Along with Madrid, Germany's Hoffenheim and Denmark's HB Køge also got to the group stage on debut, while Breidablik were the first Icelandic side to reach such a phase in any major UEFA club competition. Lyon's Melvine Malard scored the maiden group goal as OL, Bayern, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Madrid all progressed with comfort from their sections; Arsenal also made it through despite Hoffenheim giving them a last-day scare, winning 4-1 when they required a five-goal victory.

Group A produced all the drama, as it proved not quite the plain sailing that had been expected for 2021 runners-up Chelsea and two-time winners Wolfsburg. Juventus, dreaming of a final in their home stadium, lost at home to Chelsea but then held Wolfsburg 2-2 with a late comeback and brilliantly won 2-0 in Germany.

Juve then drew 0-0 at Chelsea meaning going into the final day, both they and Wolfsburg were three points adrift of the Blues. It was Chelsea that missed out in a three-way tie-break as they lost 2-0 at Wolfsburg while Juventus beat Servette.

Wolfsburg followed up by knocking out Arsenal, who were in a record 14th quarter-final, while Juve beat Lyon 2-1 at home but lost 3-1 away. Paris needed an extra-time Ramona Bachmann goal at Parc des Princes to beat Bayern while, although Barcelona comfortably overcame Madrid, the 91,553 that saw them win 5-1 at the Camp Nou was a record for a UEFA or FIFA women's game; in all 180,648 watched the eight matches in the quarter-finals.

Barcelona topped that with 91,648 for their 5-1 defeat of Wolfsburg in the semi-final first leg, which allowed them to afford a 2-0 loss in Germany. Lyon faced Paris, who had ended their five-year reign in the 2020/21 quarter-finals, but this time OL won home and away as Wendie Renard became the first player to reach 100 competition appearances.

In Turin, Renard and Lyon made an unprecedented tenth final appearance, and the centre-back was to lift the trophy for the eighth time (and sixth as captain). Barcelona began favourites, but Amandine Henry's sixth-minute stunner was added to by Ada Hegerberg, back to her best after injury, and Catarina Macario. Although Alexia Putellas responded with her competition-leading 11th goal of the season, it was not enough to stop Lyon winning 3-1.