Jonatan Giráldez will conclude his tenure as Barcelona head coach having won the quadruple for the first time in the club’s history, after his Barça Femení side edged past Olympique Lyonnais at San Mámes in Bilbao on Saturday.
The Blaugrana had never previously beaten les Olympiennes, but moments of magic from Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas proved to be the difference on Saturday as the Catalan side were able to retain their European crown following last year’s stunning comeback in Eindhoven.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Giráldez suggested that his side “have had a perfect season… the score is 10! We’ve won all four titles, and we’ve deserved to win them.”
“I’d tell you that in all the games we have played this season, we have been superior. I’ve given 100%.”
Embed from Getty ImagesThere is a satisfaction for the departing Catalan native that stems from this victory being against Lyon, a team that has proven so difficult to defeat in the past. “They were the only team we needed to beat,” he explained, “as a coach, I had never won it. In my first pre-season, we lost 3-2 and I worked hard [since then], so I’m very happy.”
“We played very good football. Everyone did what had to be done to win. We faced one of the best strikers in the world and we defended very well. The intensity of training has given us the ability to compete against the best in the world,” he added.
“There is a lot of work – what you see are only the matches – but behind [the scenes]… all the intention, all the desire we put in [and now] we have reached the key moment of the season in a magnificent state.”
As for whether defeat in Bilbao sees the curtains drawn on Lyon’s era of dominance, Giráldez wasn’t so sure. “8 Champions [League titles] is a lot – but what I like to live in is the present… then history will tell if we are at the level or not.”