Aitana Bonmatí said there was no better day to make her long-awaited return from a broken leg as she came off the bench as Barcelona booked their place in the Champions League final with a 4-2 win over Bayern Munich on Sunday.
Bonmatí, 28, was given a standing ovation when she replaced Clara Serrajordi in the second half at Spotify Camp Nou to make her first appearance since November.
“It’s difficult to explain the feelings I have right now,” Bonmatí told Disney+. “There was no better day to come back.
“These last five months have been hard, but also gratifying, a different challenge in my career. I think it’s served me as both a footballer and as a person.”
After drawing 1-1 in Munich in the first leg last weekend, goals from Salma Paralluelo, Ewa Pajor and an Alexia Putellas brace helped Barça into a 4-1 lead at Camp Nou, with Bayern briefly levelling through Linda Dallmann.
Pernille Harder added a second for Bayern with 20 minutes to go as the German side threw caution to the wind in an attempt to salvage the tie. They twice hit the bar, saw another goal ruled out by VAR and several attempts either blocked or saved.
“Six finals in a row is crazy. I think we have normalised something that is absolutely not normal. It says everything about the ambition and character of this team.
“Players and seasons come and go, but we’re still there, keeping the bar high and always wanting to be in the Champions League final.”
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Barça, who won the Champions League in 2021, 2023 and 2024 but lost last year’s final to Arsenal, now face eight-time winners OL Lyonnes in the final in Oslo on May 23.
The game has the added quirk of Lyonnes now being coached by former Barça coach Jonatan Giráldez, who was in charge of the Blaugrana when they beat the French side in the 2024 final in Bilbao.
“There is not much I can say about Lyonnes to be honest,” Bonmatí said. “They are Champions League history. They have a great side.
“For me, they are always the team to beat and the team we looked to when we were nothing and wanted to reach their level, which we achieved. But they are still a top team as well.
“I am grateful to Jonatan for everything he did for me as a player, but now we are rivals. We are only thinking about beating Lyon and winning that trophy.”
