"We go in with confidence," OL Lyonnes' Ingrid Engen ready for UWCL final vs FC Barcelona Femeni

Barcelona Femeni are all set to face OL Lyonnes for the UWCL final

OL Lyonnes head to Norway to face off against one of the most successful women’s football teams, FC Barcelona Femení, in the big final of the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) 2026.

The big final sees two heavyweights clash against each other, which is expected to be a powerhouse battle.

Ahead of this big final, Khel Now had the opportunity to be a part of the pre-match press conference of OL Lyonnes joined by Norwegian Defensive midfielder Ingrid Engen and Dutch midfielder Damaris Egurrola.

Let us take a look at what they had to say before the big UWCL final against FC Barcelona Femeni.

Confident ahead of the big final

When Khel Now asked Ingrid Engen about the impact of their comeback win in the semifinal, where OL Lyonnes bounced back in the second leg, the Norwegian midfielder kept the focus firmly on preparation and team belief.

She expressed confidence ahead of the final, highlighting the team’s strong attacking and defensive performances throughout the UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign while emphasizing the valuable lessons learned from facing different opponents.

“I think we can bring a lot of positives from that, especially the second leg against Arsenal. We show, A great side of ourselves offensively and also, strong defensively, so, yeah, I think we have to bring confidence from those games, and during the whole Champions League season, we obviously have had some tough games.

We haven’t been perfect, but we have learned a lot from all of the games, and it’s been great to play different kind of opponents. And get, those challenges, so I feel like we go in with, with confidence.”

Ingrid Engen opens up on facing former club Barcelona ahead of UWCL final

When we asked Ingrid Engen about the challenge of facing her former team FC Barcelona Femeni in the final, the Norwegian midfielder acknowledged the quality of FC Barcelona’s players and stressed the importance of delivering a near-perfect performance defensively.

She highlighted the need for strong preparation ahead of the clash, admitting that despite knowing the Barcelona players well, stopping them remains a difficult task, while assuring that she would give her very best in the final.

“It’s going to be a big, big challenge, I think, all over the pitch, and yeah, my main role will be defensively against the top players they have there in Barcelona, so definitely going to need to do a perfect game, and need to be as prepared as possible for… for that challenge. It’s, yeah, it’s like I’ve talked about. I know them well, but I also know it’s very hard to stop them, so I will do my very best.”

Damaris Egurrola reflects on the Champions League journey and biggest challenges this season

We were also joined by Dutch midfielder Damaris Egurrola, when we asked her about the challenges the team have faced during their UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign this season.

The Dutch midfielder reflected on the lessons learned from their defeat against VfL Wolfsburg Women, stressing the importance of maintaining high standards in every Champions League match.

She also praised the team’s character after their comeback performance against Arsenal Women, believing it has given the squad confidence and positive momentum heading into the final.

“Yeah, I think we showed what we’re capable of since day one in Champions League. We had better games, not as good games. I think the Wolfsburg game away was a lesson for the whole team, when you’re not performing in your best, you can lose games in Champions League when the opposite team does a good game and you’re not in your level. That’s when we learned, like, there’s no time of just relaxing or not being on our best anymore.”

“When you’re playing for Lyon, that’s not even an option. And then we also showed our character, I think, coming back at home against Arsenal during the game we did, I think it’s very positive and also brings us in a good dynamic for the final.”

Clash of two historic clubs

Damaris Egurrola was also asked whether this UEFA Women’s Champions League final carries greater significance beyond just winning the trophy, with the clash potentially deciding which team dominates European women’s football in this decade as both the teams have been very successful.

Damaris Egurrola explained that she views the final more as a showcase of two elite teams rather than a battle to decide the dominant force in European women’s football.

“No, I don’t think so. I think it’s just a beautiful game to watch for everyone. Two amazing teams. Everyone knows the history of different clubs; everyone knows Barcelona have been doing amazing in the last few years.”

“We all know the history from Lyon, so everyone can have opinion on that. But I would focus more on, really, the final itself. I think it’s one of the best games you can watch, already two years ago, and also in Turin. Amazing games, really intense, and I think the quality was amazing. So, yeah, history’s there, I think it’s just talking about a beautiful game.”

When and where to catch the action live in India?

Fans in India can catch the UEFA Women’s Champions League final live on FanCode, who will be streaming the match exclusively in India.

The clash is scheduled to take place on Saturday, 23 May, with kickoff set for 9:30 PM IST

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