Women’s Champions League Final Preview: Can Barca take one more step?

VfL Wolfsburg Women and Barcelona Femeni are set to sq. off within the UEFA Women’s Champions League last on Saturday — and there’s no scarcity of subplots.

Barca is trying to get its glory again after shedding to Lyon within the last final 12 months, whereas Wolfsburg conquered a tricky Arsenal squad to earn an opportunity to seize its first title in virtually a decade.

One crew has dominated play in Spain for the higher a part of 12 years, ending first in eight of the final 12 seasons, whereas the German facet’s struggles noticed them lose out on the league title on the ultimate matchday of the season after successful the Frauen-Bundesliga in 2021-22.

It received’t be the primary time these groups have met, and each are on the lookout for some form of redemption once they play in Eindhoven, the Netherlands at 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT.

Head-to-head historical past

Barcelona and Wolfsburg have met 5 instances within the Champions League, however by no means within the last. In the quarterfinal and semifinal phases the place they’ve met, Wolfsburg holds a 4-1 higher hand. The golf equipment final met in April 2022 with Wolfsburg successful 2-0, Wolfsburg has held Barcelona scoreless 4 instances throughout conferences.

Wolfsburg ruined Barcelona’s 2020 UWCL marketing campaign by beating the Spanish facet within the semifinal, whereas Barcelona did the identical final season, beating Wolfsburg on mixture to achieve the ultimate.

Barca’s virtually excellent file

Barcelona captured the Liga F title after successful a 61st match in a row, making them champions in April with 4 video games left to play of their season. The 12 months prior, Barca turned the primary crew in Spain’s topflight to attain an ideal marketing campaign with 30 wins in 30 matches. However, within the last recreation of the season, Barca fell to Madrid CFF 2-1, its first league loss in practically two years.

Winning the treble final 12 months of the league, the Copa de la Reina and the Supercup, Barcelona now enters its third UWCL last in a row and fourth in 5 years. The Catalan membership dominated Chelsea 4-0 in 2021 to change into the primary crew from Spain to win the title.

Barca’s solely loss in UWCL play this season got here from Bayern Munich, who beat Barcelona 3-1 in December 2022. It was Barcelona’s first loss since falling within the 2022 Champions League last.

Redemption from Lyon

Despite league success and general domination from the Spanish facet, Barca hasn’t been capable of get previous Lyon. The French facet beat Barcelona 4-1 in 2019, after which once more final season successful 3-1 within the last. Lyon has received six of the final seven UWCL titles and eight general.

Barcelona received’t need to face off in opposition to Lyon once more on account of English champion Chelsea beating Lyon on penalties after the golf equipment have been tied 2-2 on mixture within the quarterfinals. Barcelona then beat Chelsea 2-1 on mixture.

Barcelona additionally has the added hope of a full return of two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, who continues to be adjusting off the bench however scored in Barcelona’s last recreation of the season. Defender and England nationwide standout Lucy Bronze and ahead Fridolina Rolfö, a former Wolfsburg participant, each are hopeful to return after lacking time on account of knee accidents.

Injuries apart, one among Barca’s high producers is Aitana Bonmatí, who leads the Champions League with seven assists and has scored 5 instances in Champions League play, tied for second most within the competitors. Another playmaker from Barca to regulate is Caroline Graham Hansen, a former Wolfsburg participant who scored each objectives in Barcelona’s 2-1 semi-final win over Chelsea.

Patri Guijarro, Keira Walsh, and Ingrid Syrstad Engen spherical out a midfield that may neatly and effectively transfer and move the ball up subject within the conventional tiki-taka Barca approach as their roster boasts a few of the finest depth within the girls’s recreation.

Wolfsburg’s roster is aware of former glory

Despite shedding all three of the final UWCL finals they’ve performed in – all to Lyon – Wolfsburg turned the primary German facet to defend its title, successful the Champions League within the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. But the crew has but to see a title since.

Striker Alexandra Popp was a part of the “She-Wolves” who lifted the Champions League trophy in 2013 and 2014. Even at 32 years outdated, Popp led the German league in scoring with 16 objectives this season and will likely be making her seventh Champions League look.

Fellow ahead Ewa Pajor is the Champions League’s main scorer with eight objectives within the competitors and has been a Champions League runner-up with the membership thrice on high of a number of Frauen-Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal Frauen wins.

Just 4 starters from the 2020 Champions League runner-up crew stay, however Wolfsburg has clearly discovered the best way to cease Barca’s midfield previously and might use the identical techniques Lyon has of their triumphs.

Bouncing again after league struggles

Wolfsburg began off its season sizzling, going undefeated for the primary half, however three losses noticed the crew finish the season in second place — simply two factors behind rivals Bayern Munich.

Losses to Bayern, Eintracht Frankfurt and Hoffenheim sank Wolfsburg’s title hopes, although they nonetheless managed some {hardware} glory in a 4-1 win over Freiburg for the DFB-Pokal Women title. Popp and veteran defender and Women’s Euro champion Dominque Janssen managed to get on the scoresheet in that contest.

The German facet additionally surprised the Gunners within the 119th minute, after former Gunner Jill Roord scored the primary equalizer within the second leg for Wolfsburg earlier than Popp scored the go-ahead purpose that Jen Beattie would match and ship the sport to additional time.

Wolfsburg managed to suffocate the Gunners and management the sport earlier than racing into the counter-attack or scoring off of set-piece routines. Sveindis Jonsdottir, who scored within the first leg of the semifinal, could be simply as highly effective as Pajor or Popp offensively.

Barcelona is the heavy favorite to win on account of its league and Champions League dominance over the previous few seasons, however it might not be sensible to rely out the Germans within the Champions League last.

More from Sportsnet

Putellas returns as Barcelona wins girls’s Spanish league

Arsenal recovers to earn draw at Wolfsburg in Women’s Champions League

.acf-block-preview .br-related-links-wrapper {
show: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr);
hole: 20px;
}

.acf-block-preview .br-related-links-wrapper a {
pointer-events: none;
cursor: default;
text-decoration: none;
shade: black;
}