Lyon will face Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League final after defeating Paris Saint-Germain 5-3 over two legs.

Lyon, who carried a 3-2 first leg win into the second contest, beat PSG 2-1 at the Parc des Princes on Sunday.

The away side scored immediately after Selma Bacha, positioned at the edge of the box, unleashed a powerful strike into the bottom corner at the near post, catching goalkeeper Constance Picaud off guard.

But PSG hit back with five minutes of normal time to spare in the first half after Marie-Antoinette Katoto passed to Tabitha Chawinga, who charged into the area, delivering a shot across the goal that found its way into the net.

With nine minutes left of normal time to spare, however, Vicki Becho delivered a cross to Amel Majri, and her touch set up Melchie Dumornay, who then slotted the ball into the bottom-right corner to finish the move.

The match against Barca will be a repeat of the 2022 final, where eight-time champions Lyon were 3-1 winners on the day.

Barca, meanwhile, booked their place in May’s final in Bilbao after the defending champions came back to defeat Chelsea over two legs in the first semi-final.

Trailing 1-0 after the home leg in Spain, goals from Aitana Bonmati and Fridolina Rolfo at Stamford Bridge turned the tie around and ensured…

The tone for a dramatic evening of Champions League knockout football is set a little under an hour before kick-off at Stamford Bridge: a jubilant mass of Barcelona supporters waving blue and red scarves and flags as they go through their club’s songbook, marching down west London’s Fulham Road to an irresistible drumbeat.

So compelling is their energy that Sara, a Real Madrid fan who has brought along her friend Melissa to be hardcore Chelsea supporters for the day in the Matthew Harding Stand, could not help herself. “I was joining in because of the Spanish songs and Mel took a video of me and said, ‘I’m going to blackmail you’ with proof of my disloyalty,” she says with a smile.

The second leg of Chelsea Women’s semi-final battle with the great Barcelona Femeni is a box-office event with broad appeal. Outside the ground, allegiances range from casual to committed and not always in the direction expected. Kelly, milling around opposite the Britannia Gate wearing a half-and-half scarf, laughs as she comes clean.

“I’m actually an Arsenal fan rooting for Barcelona,” she says. “I’m about to find out where we’re sitting. That’s why I didn’t come in an Arsenal top.”

But the crowd that has closed this famous stretch of Fulham Road to traffic, which…

Becoming a European champion with Arsenal in 2007 meant “the world” to Emma Hayes. “The medal hangs very proudly on that lovely light in my kitchen,” Hayes, who steps down as Chelsea manager at the end of this season to take over the US Women’s National Team (USWNT), said last October. “(The Champions League) isn’t missing from my cabinet, it’s very firmly there.

“I’ve got a gold one (from what was then known as the UEFA Women’s Cup, as Arsenal assistant first-team coach) and a silver one (from the 2020-21 Champions League, when her Chelsea side lost to Barcelona in the final). Would I like to do it as Chelsea manager? Of course I’d love to, but it isn’t missing from my life, that’s for sure.”

Yes, Hayes, 47, has conquered Europe once before but, under Arsenal manager Vic Akers in those days, she played a very different role to that of Chelsea’s assembler and leader over the past 12 years. Hayes, as expected, downplayed how much winning the Champions League would mean to her in that conversation six months ago, and did so again before Saturday’s semi-final second leg at home against Barcelona, describing it as “just another game”. 

But it was anything but. It was a match into which Chelsea took a 1-0 advantage, were in front of the…

Emma Hayes claims Kadeisha Buchanan’s sending off in Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final loss to Barcelona was “the worst decision in UEFA Women’s Champions League history”.

Buchanan was shown a second yellow card by referee Iuliana Demetrescu after 59 minutes at Stamford Bridge as she was penalised for a foul on Patri Guijarro. The Canada defender appeared to initially win the ball before catching the back of Guijarro’s knee with her trailing leg.

The tie was poised at 1-1 before Buchanan’s dismissal after Aitana Bonmati’s first-half strike had cancelled out Erin Cuthbert’s goal from the first leg. Barcelona went on the secure their place in the final thanks to a Fridolina Rolfo penalty 15 minutes from time as they progressed 2-1 on aggregate.

“When you lose football matches and you’ve been beaten by the better team, 11 vs 11,” Hayes said. “They’re the best team in the world for a reason, They had a strong first half, the deflected goal puts them in a good position but in the second half I felt we were just coming on top and you could see the combination of the crowd and the players were driving us, they felt really confident.

“So when you get such a shocking refereeing decision there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s hard enough when…

Brazilian legend Marta will retire from international football this year.

The 38-year-old confirmed the news in an interview with CNN Esportes S/A that airs Sunday, saying she is at peace with her decision given the promising future of Brazil’s national team, which has a pipeline of young, blossoming talent.

“This is my last year, and I can already confirm it here. There is a moment when we have to understand that the time has come,” Marta told CNN. “I am very calm about this, because I see with great optimism this development that we are having in relation to young athletes.”

Marta has appeared in five Olympics throughout her decorated career, winning silver medals in 2004 and 2008. It remains to be seen if she will be chosen to represent Brazil at the Paris Olympics this summer but she said that, regardless, she will no longer be with the team come 2025.

“If I go to the Olympics, I will enjoy every moment, because regardless of whether I go to the Olympics or not, this is my last year with the national team,” Marta said to CNN. “There is no longer Marta in the national team as an athlete from 2025 onwards.”

GO DEEPER

Marta urges support for women’s football after final World Cup elimination

Marta’s impact on women’s soccer has been paramount.

That much was…

Manchester City striker Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw is expected to miss the remainder of the Women’s Super League season with a foot injury.

The 27-year-old will be assessed to determine the next steps in her rehab, and is set to be absent for the final three matches of City’s WSL title run-in.

Shaw sustained the injury during Sunday’s victory over West Ham United when she chased down a rebound from a Jess Park effort on the stroke of half time, pulling up abruptly and hobbling to the side of the pitch.

She was helped off by two members of City staff and did not re-emerge after the break, with winger Chloe Kelly coming on in her place and leading the line in her absence. She was later pictured in a protective boot.

The Jamaica international is the WSL’s top scorer with 21 goals in 18 appearances this season.

City play Bristol City, Arsenal and Aston Villa before the WSL concludes on May 18. Gareth Taylor’s side are three points clear of Chelsea at the WSL summit and have a marginally superior goal difference, having played one game more. The club are attempting to win their first WSL title since 2016.

Before being forced off, Shaw had scored City’s second and third goals to help her side to a 3-0 half-time lead against West Ham. City won the fixture 5-0.

City lost their…

Three months into her first season at Burnley FC Women, Aimee Kelly had a routine blood test as part of the club’s fitness checks.

A few weeks later, Kelly received a phone call and was asked to visit the hospital. Results revealed that she had a prolactin tumour very close to her right eye.

The 22-year-old striker, who played for Liverpool and Everton at academy level and made her senior debut for the latter, was informed that, while treatment took place, she would not be able to exercise at all.

In an instant, her whole footballing world changed and it brought an abrupt halt to her 2022-23 campaign where she had scored four goals in five appearances.

“Maybe at the start, for a day or two, I wondered if it could mean I wouldn’t play again,” Kelly tells The Athletic. “It was the hardest news I’ve ever had but I’m quite laid-back so after the initial shock I just thought I had to get on with it. I trusted the doctors to make the right decisions for me.”

Prolactinoma is a noncancerous tumour of the pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain. It causes the pituitary gland to make too much of a hormone called prolactin and decreases the levels of hormones including estrogen and testosterone, among other problems.

Treatment varies depending on the…

Chelsea goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger has joined Gotham FC for an undisclosed transfer fee.

The Germany international, 33, joins the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side on a one-year deal with the option of a further year.

Berger leaves Chelsea having made 114 appearances for the Women’s Super League (WSL) champions across six years.

“I am incredibly excited to join Gotham FC for this season,” Berger said. “The NWSL is one of the top leagues in the world right now, and I am very excited to compete and be a part of this league.”

Chelsea paid tribute and wished Berger — who has twice finished third in The Best FIFA Goalkeeper award — well in her next move.

A statement said: “Everyone at Chelsea would like to express their sincere gratitude to Ann for her service to the club, and we wish her every success during her time in the United States.”

Thank you, AKB.

After many amazing years at Chelsea, @Berger_Ann has joined Gotham FC on a permanent transfer. pic.twitter.com/NntqzuLUHg

— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) April 19, 2024

Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amoros is delighted to add such an experienced player to his squad.

“Ann is a very strong and experienced goalkeeper, who is a true professional,” he said.

“She brings international experience…

Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati says the Women’s Super League is an “attractive” competition for Spanish players after criticising the lack of legacy in the domestic game following Spain’s Women’s World Cup.

The 26-year-old Barcelona midfielder highlighted how the WSL empowers its players and singled out Arsenal and Manchester City’s style of play as desirable factors to Spain internationals.

A number of Spanish players have moved to the WSL in recent seasons, with Laia Aleixandri and Leila Ouahabi joining Manchester City, Lucia Garcia and Irene Guerrero signing for Manchester United and Laia Codina moving to Arsenal. Former Barcelona captain Vicky Losada signed for her third WSL club last summer when she joined Brighton following spells at Manchester City and Arsenal.

“You in England are doing things so well,” Bonmati told BBC Sport. “You treat women’s football good. You give power to the players and to the league. Here in Spain, I cannot say the same.

“The league in England is competitive and every year they are putting more money into it to develop it. They are making the league more attractive.”

Bonmati is a product of the Barcelona academy and has spent her entire professional career with the Catalan side. Her Barcelona contract runs until…

Everton Women manager Brian Sorensen has signed a new contract to remain in charge until June 2026.

Sorensen, 43, joined the Merseyside club from Danish outfit Fortuna Hjorring ahead of the 2022-23 season and led Everton to a top-six finish in the Women’s Super League (WSL) in his maiden campaign.

Sorensen — whose previous deal was set to expire this summer — said: “I’m very happy – I really like it here. I like the club, I like the people in the club and I like the fans.

“There’s a plan in place, we have a good future and a good squad going forward. I think it’s important to show in the background there’s a plan.”

The Toffees have won one of their past five WSL outings, but Sorenson says the “building blocks” are in place for future improvement.

“Results this season haven’t been the best at times – injuries to key players have been a big part of that – but we are performing extremely well and we have a good group. We want to continue working on that. The building blocks are there.”

He added: “We’re all determined to keep moving forward with Everton.”

Also extending his stay is Sorensen’s assistant manager Neligan. The duo previously worked together at Danish clubs FC Nordsjaelland and Fortuna Hjorring, with the Australian moving to…