Uefa Women'S Champions League

Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas were both on target in the second half, as Barca beat Lyon for the first time and won the Champions League for a third season out of the last four.

Ada Hegerberg, the all-time leading scorer in the Women's Champions League, headed over from Lyon's best chance as the eight-time European champions offered little apart from that.

A disappointed Van de Donk offered an honest appraisal after the 2-0 defeat, telling DAZN: "I'm very emotional. Nobody likes to lose a final and we were here to win it.

"It's a shame we didn't create enough. Barcelona deserved the win but I'm proud of my team, we gave it our all."

Van de Donk and Lindsey Horan found space tough to come by against an impressive Barca, with the Lyon midfielder admitting there could have been a change to the game plan.

"I play more as a 10 and Lindsey a bit more as a six," she added. "We were a bit low in the midfield so couldn't get the press right and that is usually our strength.

"Credit to Barcelona, they did amazing. I wish we could have pressed them a bit more, I think that could have made a difference."

Bonmati played a key role in helping Barcelona become the first team to win three domestic trophies and the European crown in a single season, since the rebranding of the Women's Champions League.

Jonatan Giraldez's side have scored 129 goals in Liga F this season, winning 27 of their 28 games and drawing the other, conceding just nine times.

To further their celebrations, Barcelona also finally ended their struggles against Lyon.

"It's the first time we've beaten Lyon, I'm proud of the team, and we know that with these fans we have, we can't fail," Bonmati told DAZN.

"It's incredible what we're living through as a team, I'm so lucky... to see we're creating that for so many people and the historic amount of fans we've brought.

"It's the proudest I've felt, I wouldn't change it for anything."

The Blues, who face Ajax at Amsterdam’s Johan Cruyff Arena on Tuesday night in the first of their two-leg last-eight encounter, remain on course to become just the second English side to complete a quadruple – with Arsenal Women having done so in 2007 – when Hayes was a member of the Gunners’ coaching staff.

The European club title is the one accolade that has so far eluded Hayes, who after winning 15 trophies in charge of Chelsea will depart at the end of the season to take up her new role as head coach of the United States women’s national team.

Cuthbert said: “It would mean everything to get to the final and to go on and win it. But you know, I’ve been at this club so long, it’s all about a process.

“I think we’re in the quarter-finals now and it’s two ties that lie ahead. Two tough games against a really tough team who have more than proved themselves at this level.

“So I think we’re under no illusions, it’s going to be a tough game tomorrow, but of course it’s hard not to dream a little bit.

“You are a football player, but at the same time I’ve been so well-drilled under Emma that it is very process-oriented.”

Chelsea have reached a Champions League semi-final four times in their history, coming closest to the title in 2021, when Cuthbert came on as a second-half substitute in the Blues’ 4-0 loss to Barcelona in the final.

They currently lead the Women’s Super League, level on 40 points but with a goal difference advantage over Manchester City and will play Arsenal in the Conti Cup final later this month before taking on Manchester United in April for a chance to defend their FA Cup title at Wembley the following month.

Ajax are just the second Dutch side to have reached a last eight after Saestum in 2006/07 and by Monday, had sold 34,200 tickets for Chelsea’s visit, putting the contest on course to be the best-attended women’s game Dutch history.

Hayes’ side know a thing or two about big crowds, having seen a Chelsea Women record 32,970 visitors at Stamford Bridge on Friday for their 3-1 WSL victory over Arsenal.

Cuthbert added: “It’s their first time at this point in the competition. We can certainly use our experience as an advantage, (but) I certainly know that if I was in the competition for the first time, I’d be playing without fear.

“We need to be wary of that as well. They’ve got nothing to lose and we’ve got everything to lose, so we’ll be giving it everything.”

Despite the lack of a Champions League trophy in her cabinet, Hayes brushed off the suggestion this competition might matter more, saying: “Every game means a lot to me. You can see that just in the league and having a record crowd at Stamford Bridge.

“I really don’t portion any more emotional response to one competition over the other.

“I would like to be part of a team that wins as much as possible, so I’m excited to be in this arena, I saw the quality out there, I’m looking forward to the atmosphere.”

The Germany striker found the net six times throughout the tournament as Die Nationalelf finished as runners-up to Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses, finishing as joint-top scorer with England's Beth Mead, though Mead won the award after recording more assists.

Popp, who has been with Wolfsburg since 2012, has lifted 18 domestic and three European titles during her career, but missed Germany's 2-1 Wembley final defeat last month after getting injured in the warm-up.

She became the first player to score in five consecutive games at a Women's Euros by helping herself to a brace in Germany's semi-final win over France, later being named in the team of the tournament.

Popp, who had just one year to run on her previous deal, told the club's website: "I'm very pleased to be held in such high esteem and I'm extremely happy at VfL Wolfsburg.

"When I look back on the last few years, it's clear I'm at the best club in Germany. I can also see the outstanding quality in our team. It's great fun for me to perform with these girls on and off the pitch and to fight for more silverware."

Wolfsburg finished four points clear of Bayern Munich to win the domestic title last season, and were beaten by eventual champions Barcelona in the semi-finals of the Women's Champions League.

Jonas Eidevall's side were already assured of a place in the knockout stages, but ran riot nevertheless at Wefox Arena to ensure they would be seeded in the last eight.

Along with Maanum's treble, Caitlin Foord and Stina Blackstenius both scored a brace, while further strikes from Kim Little and Mana Iwabuchi completed the scoring.

"We scored some really good goals, and I'm happy to have got my hat-trick," Maanum told UEFA.com. "It's easier when you're surrounded by really good players. This is a nice early Christmas present, for sure!"

Arsenal were joined in the quarter-finals by Lyon, who are through to the last eight for the 14th time in 16 seasons after snatching second place in Group C with a goalless draw against Juventus.

Elsewhere, Barcelona ensured they advanced to the knockout stages as Group D winners following a thumping 6-0 victory over Rosengard.

Though already guaranteed progression beyond the group phase, Barca were in no forgiving mood as Asisat Oshoala scored twice with Mapi Leon, Fridolina Rolfo, Marta Torrejon and Irene Paredes also on target.

That took their goal tally to 29 - the highest in any Women's Champions League group stage - and meant Bayern Munich had to settle for second place despite Klara Buhl's double in a 2-0 win over Benfica.

The 2021-22 runners-up Barcelona will take on Roma in the last eight, while Paris Saint-Germain play Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich come up against Arsenal.

The first legs are scheduled for March 21 and 22, with the return fixtures a week later.

The semi-final draw was also made on Friday, with the winners of PSG and Wolfsburg set to face the winners of Bayern and Arsenal, while the winners of Lyon and Chelsea will go up against the winners of Barca and Roma.

Eindhoven will host the final on June 3.

In San Sebastian, France forward Le Sommer snatched the opening goal, with Japanese midfielder Saki Kumagai and former Wolfsburg player Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir also scoring.

Eleven days after the Lyon men's team bowed out to Bayern Munich in their Champions League semi-final, Europe's most powerful women's side lifted the trophy they have made their own.

Le Sommer's 22nd-minute strike, tucking home after her first shot was parried, moved the 31-year-old above Brazilian Marta to fourth on the list of the Women's Champions League all-time top scorers with 47 goals.

Since joining Lyon in 2010, Le Sommer has been involved in all seven of the club's Champions League triumphs.

Kumigai drove in Lyon's second after 44 minutes, a left-footed blast from 22 yards finding the bottom right corner, before Wolfsburg found hope when Alex Popp headed in from close range.

But Gunnarsdottir had the final say against the club she left for Lyon at the beginning of July, netting an 89th-minute clincher.

Lyon's England defender Lucy Bronze, who has been linked with a return to Manchester City in the near future, said the outcome of the final was never in doubt.

Lyon were not at full strength for the final, with Ada Hegerberg, who scored a hat-trick against Barcelona in last year's final, among those missing.

Bronze, quoted on UEFA.com, said: "People said it was the best time to play us because we were missing so many players but we were the best side in the first half by a long shot and the game was almost finished at half-time. We've definitely got the strongest squad in the world."

Bronze joined Barca as a free agent in June 2022 after her contract with Manchester City expired and has gone on to make 70 appearances for the club.

She has won two Women's Champions League titles and two Liga F crowns – the second without losing a single game – as well as one Queen's Cup and two Spanish Super Cups.

The England right-back will depart when her contract expires on June 30, though, with a return to the Women's Super League with City mooted in some circles.

The 32-year-old could instead opt for a move to the United States, with National Women's Soccer League outfit Angel City another potential destination.

A statement from Barcelona read: "The club wishes Lucy Bronze good luck and success in her new stage, both personally and professionally."

Lyon won a fifth consecutive European crown in August, beating Wolfsburg in the final, and they are unsurprisingly set to be at the forefront of FIFA's end-of-year awards ceremony.

Of the 11 players on the shortlist for The Best FIFA Women's Player, five played for Lyon last season.

Lucy Bronze - third in this category last year and second in the 2019 Ballon d'Or Feminin - has since moved on to Manchester City but makes the cut alongside a host of former team-mates.

Dzsenifer Marozsan was second in 2018, the same year she finished third for the Ballon d'Or, and will now compete against Delphine Cascarino, Saki Kumagai and Wendie Renard.

Chelsea have three contenders in Pernille Harder (signed from Wolfsburg), Ji So-yun and Sam Kerr, while Caroline Graham Hansen and Jennifer Hermoso represent Barcelona. Viviane Miedema is in for Arsenal.

Such is the depth of Lyon's squad that Ada Hegerberg - the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner, then third behind Marozsan in the FIFA voting - is not in the running this year having been out since January with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

Although Lyon have continued to win regardless, their four-year, 80-game unbeaten Division 1 Feminine streak was ended by Paris Saint-Germain last week.

Sarah Bouhaddi, who conceded the only goal in that game, is up for The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper as the sixth Lyon player honoured.

She is up against Ann-Katrin Berger, Christiane Endler, Hedvig Lindahl, Alyssa Naeher and Ellie Roebuck.

The French giants' Jean-Luc Vasseur is among seven nominees for The Best FIFA Women's Coach after a successful first season in charge at OL.

Future England coach Sarina Wiegman, the 2017 award winner who finished second in the subsequent two years, is also in contention.

Lluis Cortes, Rita Guarino, Emma Hayes, Stephan Lerch and Hege Riise are the others under consideration.

The French outfit seized a first-half lead through Lindsey Horan in Turin, before Melvine Malard's own goal seven minutes after the interval handed the hosts a share of the spoils.

After defeat to Arsenal in their opener, it leaves Sonia Bompastor's side on the outside in Group C after two matchweeks, and facing a tough road to the knockouts.

But there was more drama to be had in Group D, where Georgia Stanway's late double helped secure a remarkable turnaround for Bayern in a 3-2 comeback.

Having trailed heading into the final stages, the England international struck initially to level matters before sealing their resurgence victory with a 98th-minute finish.

Last season's finalists Barcelona joined them in preserving a perfect record, after braces for Aitana Bonmati and Mariona Caldentey saw them ease to a 4-1 victory against Rosengard.

Arsenal meanwhile cemented their hold on Group C with a 3-1 win over Zurich, aided by Lina Hurtig's double for Jonas Eidevall's side.

Trailing to a Lea Schuller header from last week's first leg, Frida Maanum fired in a sensational 20-yard effort to level up the tie within 20 minutes of Wednesday's return game.

Stina Blackstenius powered in a header six minutes later to give Arsenal the lead in the tie for the first time in front of the 21,307 watching spectators in north London.

Jonas Eidevall's side missed chances to kill off the tie, but they saw out the victory to set up a meeting with the winners of Thursday's tie between Paris Saint-Germain and Wolfsburg.

Barcelona earlier booked their spot in the semi-finals, where either Chelsea or Lyon await, with a commanding 5-1 win over Roma at Camp Nou sealing a 6-1 aggregate victory.

Two-goal Fridolina Rolfo scored either side of Maria Leon's curler to put Barca, who finished runners-up to Lyon last season, out of sight before half-time.

Asisat Oshoala tapped in a fourth a minute after the restart and Patricia Guijarro headed in from a corner to complete the rout.

Competition debutants Roma registered a couple of attempts on target in the remaining 40 minutes, but it was plain sailing for Barca in their quest for a second European crown.

A 47th-minute equaliser from Lisa Naalsund gave the Women’s Super League side hope but Lieke Martens’ second of the game and another from Sandy Baltimore saw the French team prevail 4-2 on aggregate.

Leah Galton had a goal disallowed controversially and Ella Toone hit the woodwork as United battled to the end but PSG held on.

The hosts started strongly and looked like taking the lead after 10 minutes when Tabitha Chawinga, goalscorer in the first leg, rounded Mary Earps but shot tamely and Maya Le Tissier cleared.

The opener came eight minutes later. This time Earps did well to deny Chawinga but could do little as Martens pounced on the rebound and curled past the United keeper.

United tried to reply quickly with Geyse teeing up Naalsund in the box but the Norwegian could not take the chance and the visitors had a let-off when Martens headed over.

Marc Skinner’s side went close before the break when Geyse combined with Toone but the England international failed to make clean contact and pulled her shot wide.

United did get themselves back into the game soon after the restart when Geyse again found space and Naalsund was on hand to turn home from in front of goal.

Yet it was to prove a shortlived response as PSG quickly went up the other end and regained the lead.

Martens again did the damage, grabbing her second from close range following more good work by Chawinga.

United searched for a second equaliser but Katarzyna Kiedrzynek saved from Hannah Blundell and Geyse.

PSG took a firm grip on the tie just before the hour as winger Baltimore outran Blundell and chipped Earps from a tight angle.

Still United fought on and Katie Zelem drew another save from Kiedrzynek from a free-kick.

Galton then headed the ball into the net but the effort was ruled out for a soft foul on Kiedrzynek, who required treatment after colliding with the United player.

Toone struck the post with a spectacular effort in stoppage time but it was not United’s night.

Making their European debut, United found themselves under considerable pressure from their opponents in the first half before two-time Champions League finalists PSG took the lead nine minutes into the second via Tabitha Chawinga’s finish.

The hosts then responded impressively with substitutes to the fore and equalised via a 70th-minute header from one of them, on-loan Lyon forward Melvine Malard, who had also scored after coming on in last Friday’s 2-2 Women’s Super League draw with Arsenal at the same venue.

Boss Skinner said: “It was literally the cliche game of two halves in my opinion.

“I think the reality is the first half, that’s the fastest we have played against, the highest intensity. Even Arsenal, it was much more intense than that.

“I think it just took our players to see it, feel it, and then at half-time they fixed it. I’m so proud of the resilience first half, because they stayed in the game, some really good defending, and then second half I felt we had them on the ropes and we could have taken the game.

“It did feel like we could have won the game. In the end it felt probably fair as a draw.”

The second leg is in Paris next Wednesday as the sides vie for a place in the group stage.

Asked how confident he was about that match, Skinner said: “I believe we can do it anywhere, so I’m going to believe we can do it in Paris.

“I said to girls tonight we belong at this level, I have no doubt about that.

“We’re a club that is historic in the men’s Champions League, and we haven’t had time to do that in the women’s yet, so we have to earn it now. But we have great shoulders to stand on from our men’s team, and that’s what we have to take into the second leg, that belief that we’re Manchester United and we can beat anybody.

“We’re going to go to Paris and believe we can win because if you don’t, there’s no point jumping on the plane.

“I feel if we match their physicality, we’re the better footballing team. I want to see us go there and don’t play with fear.”

Skinner also once again questioned the competition’s format, as he had done in the build-up to the match.

Skinner said: “If this isn’t as good as a quarter-final is in the actual tournament, I don’t know what you’re going to get.

“I’m seeing teams that are going to play tomorrow, no disrespect, that we would beat, and they’re playing to get in the Champions League proper, and that for me is strange.

“For me, it needs to be looked at. PSG have been in two finals, and yet we’re playing them in a qualifying game.

“The teams are ready to expand. We have four or five in this country that could play in the Champions League. I think it’s ready to expand.”

The United-PSG contest is one of five ties in the ‘league path’ of the second qualifying round, which also features two-time winners and last season’s runners-up Wolfsburg.

There are also seven ‘champions path’ ties involving sides who won their leagues in 2022-23.

WSL champions Chelsea are among the automatic qualifiers for the group stage, which features 16 teams across four pools. Arsenal were eliminated in the first qualifying round.

The Women’s Super League side were beaten 3-1 in the second leg of their second-round qualifier against Paris St Germain at the Parc des Princes to go out 4-2 on aggregate.

Skinner felt it was a tough draw for United while other clubs may have been given an easier passage.

“It’s crazy that we have to play PSG in this qualifying round, crazy,” he told reporters at a press conference.

“It needs to be something that is addressed. Having said that, we will learn from it. We’ll come back stronger. We got a taste of it. I’m going to make sure we’re driven to make sure we are a constant fixture in the Champions League.”

United gave themselves hope when Lisa Naalsund cancelled out Lieke Martens’ opener to level at 1-1 early in the second half.

Yet Martens responded quickly with her second of the game and a third from Sandy Baltimore secured PSG’s win.

United fought on and Skinner was enraged when Leah Galton controversially had a header ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper Katarzyna Kiedrzynek.

Skinner said on MUTV: “We’ve scored a goal that should stand. It’s ridiculous. If that’s the level of officiating at this standard, it’s not good enough.

“That’s a goal and we’re in the ascendancy then to get more. We’ve come into an intimidating situation and we’ve been the better team.

“That’s all credit to our players and shows everybody else in Europe what they’re going to get used to over the next few years, because we as a team are absolutely growing and going to where we want to be. We’re not going to let anybody stand in our way.”

Skinner is confident his team will bounce back.

He said: “We’ve got to learn from tonight and we’ve got to be accountable for our mistakes.

“If we do that, we’ll grow again and again and then there’ll be no team that can touch us. We can go into Europe and dominate.”

The Women's Super League outfit preserved their unbeaten record in Group C through Vivianne Miedema's lone finish, to take a 1-0 win over the Italian giants and cement their hold on the pool.

Defeat for Joe Montemurro's side means reigning champions Lyon have vaulted them into second place after another comfortably victory over Zurich.

Melvine Malard's double was sandwiched by goals for Lindsey Horan and Delphine Cascarino in a 4-0 win, to inject further life into a campaign that saw them go winless over their first two matches.

Last season's beaten finalists Barca were meanwhile handed a first loss of the tournament, as Bayern claimed revenge for their prior loss with a 3-1 triumph.

Both sides now sit atop Group D with nine points, three ahead of third-placed Benfica, who kept pace with a 3-1 win of their own over Rosengard.

Gunners defender Frida Maanum put through her own net on the stroke of half-time to hand the reigning champions victory at the Emirates Stadium, leaving both sides on 10 points in Group C.

Jonas Eidevall's team knew they would qualify with anything less than a four-goal loss after establishing a head-to-head advantage by hammering Lyon 5-1 away from home in October.

However, the sight of a distressed Miedema leaving the field on a stretcher after appearing to catch her studs in the turf will provide cause for concern.

Miedema – the Champions League's top goalscorer in the 2016-17 and 2019-20 campaigns – has hit the net twice in the competition this season.

In Group C's other fixture, a four-goal haul from Cristiana Girelli helped Juventus profit from Irina Pando's red card in a 5-0 win over Zurich, teeing up a winner-take-all meeting with Lyon next week.

Meanwhile, Barcelona and Bayern Munich both ensured qualification from Group D, with the Spanish champions doing so in emphatic fashion with a 6-2 rout of Benfica.

Bayern joined them in racking up the goals with a 4-0 win at Rosengard, as Georgia Stanway joined Tainara, Sydney Lohmann and Julia Landenberger on the scoresheet.

Two-time Ballon d'Or winner Putellas has not played since picking up an anterior cruciate ligament injury in July 2022.

Home fans on Thursday will be hoping her return can help Barcelona complete the job which they started by winning the first leg 1-0 at Stamford Bridge last week.

The midfielder had been seen in open training at the Camp Nou before the official announcement, after which she was declared fit to play.

As a result of last year's ACL injury, Putellas was unable to contribute to her country's run in Euro 2021, delayed for a year after the Covid pandemic, which saw Spain lose to England in the quarter-finals.

But her club have not suffered so much without her, 10 points clear at the top of the Primera Division, and cruising in the Champions League so far this season.

One fresh setback, however, for the Catalan club is the absence through injury of England's Lucy Bronze, who was seen hobbling off the pitch in the first Chelsea clash.

England's right-back had keyhole surgery on her knee following the injury, but is expected to be back within a month.

The semi-final second leg is on Thursday night, with the winner facing either Arsenal or Wolfsburg in the final in June.

Scottish star Weir left City in July, and in a reunion with her old club she hit the winner in the 15th minute at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.

Three weeks after England's Euro 2022 triumph at Wembley, City had Lionesses Keira Walsh, Alex Greenwood, Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp in their starting line-up.

However, they could not force City back onto level terms, meaning that for the second successive year, two-time semi-finalists City have gone out to Madrid at the qualifying stage.

Hemp shot wide late on as City's hopes fizzled out in the Spanish capital, with Madrid going through to a final round of qualifying to determine whether they advance to the 16-team group stage, for which Lyon, Barcelona, Chelsea and Wolfsburg are the only automatic entrants.

City were also eliminated by Real Madrid in the men's Champions League last season, when a late turnaround at the Santiago Bernabeu saw Madrid rally from 5-3 behind on aggregate to snatch a 6-5 win after extra time in the semi-finals.

The Norwegian curled home after 28 minutes in France to hand the Blues a 1-0 lead ahead of the reverse fixture in London.

Lyon were guilty of missing a number of opportunities in the first half, although Lauren James could have added a second for Chelsea when she hit the post.

Delphine Cascarino similarly struck the woodwork for Lyon after half-time, with the eight-time champions now needing a turnaround in the second leg if their title defence is to continue.

The result had looked in doubt at half-time after the visitors had stunned Emma Hayes’ side with an equaliser from defender Thea Greboval’s header, wiping out the lead given to last year’s semi-finalists when Kerr turned in Lauren James’ cross.

But two goals early in the second period settled Chelsea nerves and ensured there would be no upset from the tournament debutants at Stamford Bridge. Kerr grabbed her second and third in the space of seven minutes before substitute Sophie Ingle capped the night off in stoppage time to ensure three points after last week’s controversial draw away to Real Madrid.

Chelsea started unusually subdued and allowed Paris to have the better of the first 20 minutes, though neither side mustered much in the way of chances.

The first opening fell to James and it came from a mistake by Greboval at the back for Paris. The defender played a casual, aimless pass out from the edge of the box straight to the feet of Erin Cuthbert, whose quick ball forward was dummied by Kerr and allowed to run on to James.

With the goal at her mercy, Chelsea’s hat-trick hero last time out against Liverpool opened up her right foot and skewed horribly wide of the post.

Yet the England winger soon made amends. On the half-hour mark the ball was worked to her wide on the left by Jess Carter, and with a deft step-over to fox her marker she carried it inside and delivered a curling cross that pitched perfectly between goalkeeper and defender for Kerr to lunge in and prod her side in front.

Johanna Rytting Kaneryd spurned a golden chance to double the lead when she nipped in behind and was denied brilliantly at close range by Chiamaka Nnadozie in the visitors’ goal.

Within minutes Chelsea’s advantage was wiped out and the equaliser was simply worked. Gaetane Thiney’s corner was swept over from the right for Paris, and there rising highest above the grounded Cuthbert from 12 yards was Greboval, her header looping into the air and over the head of Carter whose goalline intervention succeeded only in helping the ball into the roof of the net.

Chelsea goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger saved her team in the first minute of the second half, flying out at the feet of Mathilde Bourdieu after she had stepped inside Kadeisha Buchanan to make space to shoot.

It turned out to be the moment on which the game turned. Within two minutes, Chelsea’s lead was restored and it was substitute Fran Kirby who began the move.

Picking up the ball wide on the right, she looked up and fed the charging Rytting Kaneryd bursting forward from midfield. Her low cross into the six-yard box evaded the defender by a millimetre, and there stealing in with a poacher’s finish was Kerr to make it 2-1.

Chelsea were out of sight when Kerr completed her hat-trick, Berger’s long, searching kick requiring only two touches from the Australian before she hoisted the ball high over Nnadozie, who may have misjudged its flight as she sought to paw it out from underneath the crossbar.

From there, Paris competed gamely and might have pulled one back late on had Berger not been alert to flip a high shot over the bar with her fingertips.

But Chelsea’s superiority showed. With victory assured, Ingle slid the ball home unmarked from a corner at the death as their bid to send departing boss Hayes out with a Champions League medal began in earnest.

Its commercial value can grow sixfold to €686million by 2033 and club sponsorship could swell to €295million by the same point, according to European football's governing body.

The developing professional leagues across Europe remain at an early stage of growth, emphasised by the fact spending on international player transfers topped €2m for the first time last year.

UEFA published its 'Business Case for Women’s Football' on Tuesday, with the women's game planning to capitalise on the success of international tournaments such as Euro 2022 by aiming to steer supporters and investors towards the clubs and leagues that in some cases are battling to survive.

The report said stakeholders have "an extraordinary opportunity to develop and professionalise women's football in Europe over the next decade by investing now" to unlock "enormous potential".

The report's findings would enable stakeholders "to make informed decisions and invest on the scale required", its authors said.

UEFA explained that previous data in this area, looking at the prospect for future growth, meant there was an "inconsistent and incomplete" picture of what the years to come might hold. It said its research and data investigations this time were "unprecedented" in their scale.

Former Germany striker Nadine Kessler, who is now UEFA's chief of women's football, hailed the game as being "on an incredibly exciting trajectory".

Kessler added: "The potential of the women's game is limitless and we believe we are on course to take women's football to heights that were unimaginable just a few years ago.

"As this report shows, now is the time to capitalise on the momentum we have created together, now is the time to get involved, now is the time to invest."

The research showed that a current fan base of 144million could reach 328million in 10 years' time. Followers were described as being broadly "diverse, progressive and young", with close to one in three fans of the women's game found to be new to football.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas pointed to the prospect of short-term losses for long-term gains.

Aulas, an early advocate of the women's game, said: "In the early years, there will be losses to reach a certain level and become successful. Over time, the investment will create excellent value for the club through new partners and a differentiated fan base."

That was reflected in the report stating the "majority" of leagues and teams are making a loss, relying on support from club owners or men's team budgets to remain sustainable.

Some 87 per cent of integrated clubs said involvement with women's clubs had brought about a reputational boost.

UEFA said its research showed 70 per cent of women's clubs and 50 per cent of leagues are aiming to be self-sustainable within the next decade.