Meet the UEFA Women's Champions League finalists: Barcelona and Wolfsburg
sabato 3 giugno 2023
Intro articolo
Barcelona, in their third straight final, play two-time winners Wolfsburg on 3 June in Eindhoven.
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Corpo articolo
Barcelona play Wolfsburg in the 2023 UEFA Women's Champions League final on Saturday 3 June at PSV Stadium, Eindhoven.
We introduce the two contenders.
Barcelona vs Wolfsburg: Previous meetings
2021/22 semi-finals: Barcelona 5-3agg Wolfsburg (first leg 5-1, second leg 0-2)
2019/20 semi-finals: Wolfsburg 1-0 Barcelona (one-off match, San Sebastián)
2013/14 quarter-finals: Wolfsburg 5-0agg Barcelona (first leg 3-0, second leg 2-0)
The first leg of the 2021/22 semi-final was watched by a world-record 91,648 fans at Camp Nou.
First named team at home in opening game of two-legged ties
Barcelona
UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2021/22): 2
How they qualified: Spanish champions
Group stage: Group D winners (W5 D0 L1 F29 A6)
Quarter-finals: W6-1agg vs Roma (W1-0a, W5-1h)
Semi-finals: W2-1agg vs Chelsea (W1-0a, D1-1h)
Top scorers: Aitana Bonmatí, Asisat Oshoala (5)
Last season: Runners-up
Domestic honours: 8 x league champions, 9 x cup winners
Previous European best: Winners x 1 (2020/21)
Final record
2022: L1-3 vs Lyon (Turin)
2021: W4-0 vs Chelsea (Gothenburg)
2019: L1-4 vs Lyon (Budapest)
Campaign in a nutshell
There was little hangover from the 2022 final loss to Lyon as Barcelona began the group stage by beating Benfica 9-0, Rosengård 4-1 and Bayern 3-0. Although they then succumbed 3-1 at Bayern, Barça put six past both Benfica and Rosengård to tally up 29 group-stage goals.
That left them confident for the knockout phase, and a hard-earned 1-0 win at Roma in the quarter-finals was followed by a 5-1 home stroll in front of more than 50,000 fans at Camp Nou. Caroline Graham Hansen was the hero against Chelsea in the semis, netting a stunning early goal at Stamford Bridge before striking again to delight a crowd of over 72,000 in the return.
Who is Barcelona's coach?
Jonatan Giráldez: The former assistant to Lluís Cortés replaced the Women's Champions League-winning coach in the summer of 2021 and for the most part has kept Barcelona's stellar run going (the exception being the defeat to Lyon in last year's final).
Who is Barcelona's key player?
Aitana Bonmatí: Alexia Putellas may now finally be back from injury but her absence for most of this season has allowed midfielder Bonmatí to truly show her worth as a goalscorer, creator, playmaker and even midfield general.
Did you know?
Barcelona were the first Spanish finalists in 2019 and first Spanish winners two years later (against Chelsea).
Wolfsburg
UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2021/22): 3
How they qualified: German champions
Group stage: Group B winners (W4 D2 L0 F19 A5)
Quarter-finals: W2-1agg vs Paris Saint-Germain (W1-0a, D1-1h)
Semi-finals: W5-4agg vs Arsenal (D2-2h, W3-2aet a)
Top scorer: Ewa Pajor (8)
Last season: Semi-finals
Domestic honours: 7 x league champions, 10 x cup winners
Previous European best: Winners (2012/13, 2013/14)
Final record
2020: L1-3 vs Lyon (San Sebastián)
2018: L1-4aet vs Lyon (Kyiv)
2016: L1-1aet, 3-4pens vs Lyon (Reggio Emilia)
2014: W4-3 vs Tyresö (Lisbon)
2013: W1-0 vs Lyon (London)
Campaign in a nutshell
Wolfsburg were on top form in Group B, comfortably beating St. Pölten home and away and picking up four points against both runners-up Roma and Slavia Praha. Ewa Pajor scored a round-leading seven goals, only failing to find the net in the 0-0 draw at home to Slavia.
Dominique Janssen's penalty was the only goal in a tough quarter-final first leg at Parc des Princes, before Alex Popp struck in a 1-1 home draw. The She-Wolves were also held at home by Arsenal in the semi-final first leg but in front of more than 60,000 spectators in London, substitute Pauline Bremer won the tie deep into extra time.
Who is Wolfsburg's coach?
Tommy Stroot: Took over in 2021, aged just 32, after a successful spell with Twente, where he won two league titles. The former Meppen player and (women's) coach won a German double with Wolfsburg last season and has now taken them to a sixth UEFA Women's Champions League final.
Who is Wolfsburg's key player?
Alex Popp: A winner with Wolfsburg in 2013 and 2014, not to mention Duisburg in 2019, Popp is Wolfsburg's leader-in-chief and able to play in almost every position. The one-time defender is now equally at home holding the midfield or leading the line (with a fresh leash of goalscoring life since her Women's EURO exploits for Germany last summer).
Did you know?
Wolfsburg have made at least the quarter-finals in an unprecedented 11 consecutive years, starting with that 2012/13 debut triumph.
Cup winners refers only to main FA national cup in each country.