Barcelona looking to win second Champions League title

Barcelona’s women’s team is in search of their second Champions League title when they take on Wolfsburg on Saturday in Eindhoven.

The Catalan side will be playing in their third European final in the last four years. They lost last season’s final 3-1 to Lyon.

That Champions League final defeat was a dagger in a near perfect season for Barcelona. It’s fair to say that defeat has been a thorn in their side and it’s added extra motivation this season.

“It was our first game of the season,” Alexia Putellas said about the loss to Lyon. “It was traumatic because we worked a lot to win the Champions League in Turin. It’s an added reason to go all out tomorrow and bring the trophy to Barcelona. It’s going to be tough. Wolfsburg are one of the best teams in Europe. We have to touch perfection and the pressure is always there.”

These two teams faced each other in the semifinals last season where Barcelona won 5-1 at the Camp Nou and Wolfsurg winning the return leg 2-0.

With the match being at a neutral venue, neither team will have home field advantage but Barcelona are considered the favorites.

But there were similar feelings heading into the final last season only for Lyon to come out on top, much to the disappointment of Blaugrana players and supporters.

In an interview with UEFA, manager Jonatan Giráldez also touched upon the defeat in the final last season.

“We did some real soul-searching, in term of how to plan for the new season to keep helping the players,” Giráldez said. “And from a sporting point of view, improve our phases of play in attack and defense. Patience is part of competing and there are times when you have to survive — when you’re being pressed in your area, when you can’t recover the ball or score a goal.

“It’s about managing frustration in a better way. For me, the experiences from these big games and what we’ve been trying to implement in training sessions help us grow, and that growth comes together with results.”

Unlike last season, Barcelona head into the final with pretty much all of their players available. Fridolina Rolfö and Lucy Bronze both received the medical green light midweek meaning Barcelona will have their starting fullbacks healthy.

The most significant boost Barcelona received was the return of the aforementioned Putellas who missed almost the entirety of the season with an ACL. She’s been cautiously transitioned back into the team since her return, with her game minutes gradually increasing.

Whether or not she starts, it will be up to Giráldez to decide. Putellas is ready no matter the decision.

“I’m 100 percent fit and eager to help the team,” Putellas said. “But it will be the coach to decide if I get minutes.”

Giráldez was coy when asked if Putellas would start. While a Champions League final may not be the appropriate time to experiment, Putellas could start and serve as a false nine. Geyse Ferreira was brought on this season but has been inconsistent. The same can be said for Asisat Oshoala.

Putellas may not care how much she ends up playing if, in the end, Barcelona beat Wolfsburg and win their second Champions League.

If Barcelona want to avoid the disappointment of last season, they need to fully concentrated from the initial whistle. A couple of lapses of concentration cost them early against Lyon and they can ill-afford repeat mistakes.

They’re likely to have most of the ball with Wolfsburg looking to hit them on the break. It’s been a tactic other rivals have tried to use with some success. While some of the breaks haven’t resulted in a goal, it’s been enough to cause danger. A team the caliber of Wolfsburg are more likely than not to convert on those breaks.

Again, if they come out concentrated and can convert on their chances, which has been an issue at times, then they will be in a good position to “make amends” for last season’s defeat and cap off the season on a high note.

Expected Barça Femeni XI:

Paños
Bronze – Paredes – Mapi Leon – Rolfö
Bonmati – Walsh – Guijarro
Graham Hansen – Ferreira – Mariona