Barcelona vs Wolfsburg Women's Champions League final preview: Where to watch, kick-off time, possible line-ups
Friday, June 2, 2023
When is it? How can you watch it? What are the possible line-ups? All you need to know about the UEFA Women's Champions League final between Barcelona and Wolfsburg.
Barcelona play Wolfsburg in the 2023 UEFA Women's Champions League final on Saturday 3 June at a sold-out PSV Stadium, Eindhoven, the first time the decider has been staged in the Netherlands.
What do you need to know?
Barcelona are through to their fourth final in five seasons, their sensational 4-0 defeat of Chelsea in 2021 sandwiching losses to Lyon in 2019 and 2022. Last year in Turin, Barcelona were probably favourites, having enjoyed an excellent season before their 3-1 reverse in the decider. They look the team to beat again after notching a record 29 goals in the group stage (despite a loss at Bayern) and then seeing off Roma and Chelsea in the knockouts.
That was all without Alexia Putellas, though the 2021/22 player of the season is now back from long-term injury, with several Liga run-outs under her belt. In her absence, one key performer this season has been former Wolfsburg player Caroline Graham Hansen, who scored both of Barcelona's semi-final goals against Chelsea, though she has recently been out with a virus.
Full-backs Lucy Bronze and Fridolina Rolfö also missed the end of the league season. However, Bronze suggested in her British newspaper column on Tuesday that she is in contention to play, and Barça coach Jonatan Giráldez has travelled to Eindhoven with his full squad.
Last season, Wolfsburg lost 5-3 on aggregate to Barcelona in the semis, but after a heavy defeat at the Camp Nou (with Graham Hansen among the scorers), the German side did win 2-0 at home. Having made it a step further this time around, they are now aiming for a first title since lifting the trophy in their debut European campaigns in 2012/13 and 2013/14. Since then, and much like Barça, Wolfsburg have found Lyon their nemeses in the showpiece, losing to the French giants in 2016, 2018 and 2020.
Alex Popp is a veteran of all those finals, as well as Duisburg's win in 2008/09, and she is set to captain Wolfsburg again following a vintage personal season in which she finished as Frauen-Bundesliga top scorer for the first time. Wolfsburg also boast the leading scorer in the Women's Champions League this season, Ewa Pajor – and, like Giráldez, coach Tommy Stroot has all of his squad available.
As accustomed as Barça have become to reaching this exalted European showpiece, they are less used to approaching the final with quite so many problems. When she went off in the semi-final first leg, it did not look positive for Lucy Bronze, but she has been training again, albeit separately from her team-mates. Will she be ready?
Caroline Graham Hansen is recovering from a virus and missed her team's only league defeat of the season, the 2-1 loss at Madrid CFF. Asisat Oshoala felt hamstring pain during that game and Fridolina Rolfö has an ongoing knee niggle, but Barça have better news with the return of modern great Alexia Putellas after a year out injured. Fit but genuinely ready to start this huge test? That is one for coach Jonatan Giráldez to ponder.
Judith Tuffentsammer, Wolfsburg reporter
Perennially among the favourites for the trophy, Wolfsburg have seen their European seasons end unfulfilled in recent years, most frequently against old rivals Lyon. With nine years having now passed since their last Champions League title success, Die Wölfinnen are desperate to finally return to European glory.
German Cup winners for the ninth year running but only runners-up behind Bayern in the league, Wolfsburg have all the motivation they need to end this campaign with a bang. Barcelona eliminated them in last season's Women’s Champions League semi-finals. How sweet revenge would be.
View from the camps
Jonatan Giráldez, Barcelona coach: "We need to minimise their strengths. We will be wary of their quick attacks and set pieces. Based on the stats, that is the threat they pose. We want to dominate the game and not let them show their strengths.
"We are in very good shape. Everyone is available, which is a big positive. Looking at the last few weeks, we have had lots of time to prepare for this final and our experience gives us a boost; it gives us more strategies ahead of the final. I am feeling optimistic."
Alexia Putellas, Barcelona captain: "I'm a player who needs to face new challenges continuously. Handling this injury was difficult; however, in the end I focused all my efforts on being fully recovered by the end of this season. There is no better moment in the season because it's in this final part when you can have the most fun. It's now when big things happen. So, every tough moment I've overcome has now been worth it.
"I feel the usual pressure we have. Playing for Barça means you have to do everything almost perfectly all the time. It's very difficult to always be perfect, so there are always things you can improve. Now that I once again feel 100% like a footballer again, I can tell that this feeling is the same as it's always been."
Caroline Graham Hansen, Barcelona forward: "It's very special for me. I played for Wolfsburg for five years and experienced many things there. Now I'm very happy at Barcelona and all I want to do is win the final."
Tommy Stroot, Wolfsburg coach: "It's important for us to get a foothold in the game. We know what to expect from Barcelona, how we want to approach the game and we've prepared a number of scenarios. Above all, we want to win the game. We're playing in the final and we want to lift the trophy. That's our mission.
"[I'm expecting a] typical Barcelona. Lots of possession and tempo with the ball. Good transitional play, good defence with a lot of aggression. But we know what to expect and we've spent the last week preparing for the game. We know the quality we want to showcase on the pitch, and we also know where Barcelona are vulnerable."
Alex Popp, Wolfsburg captain: "In recent years, Barcelona have caught the eye a lot more than we have. But we want to try to impose our own game. We're obviously aware that Barcelona tend to have a lot of possession. We need to play calmly and must not lose our heads because we're obviously not that used to chasing after the ball. Nonetheless, I am confident that through the way we play, through our behaviour in direct duels, we'll create good chances.
"It's incredible that we're in a sold-out stadium. That's testament to us and the tremendous development of women's football. Already in the last few years, we've seen that something's happening. That's one thing [compared to her past finals]. Then, for me personally, the team is very different this time. I believe this team has even more quality than was previously the case. We already came very close last year. Therefore, I'm sure we can win this game if we focus on ourselves and if we're able to impose our game."
Dominique Janssen, Wolfsburg defender: "I'm really excited just to be here in the Netherlands and play a Champions League final [...] In the Netherlands, Barcelona are a team that a lot of people support, so I hope we also have a lot of supporters on our side. I know a lot of people are coming from Germany, and I know my family will be here; that gives [us] a lot of motivation. So, it's going to be exciting.
"For us, it's something different and it's good that we're not always in the favourites' role, so I think it's kind of comfortable right now. We just want to do the best we can and we're just going to try to give Barcelona the hardest time possible."
Yesterday, during his press conference, Barcelona's coach said that all of his players are available. However, journalists that watched Barcelona's training session said that Asisat Oshoala trained alone and not with the group.
Oshoala got injured during Barcelona's last Liga F match and had to be substituted. People are now doubting if she will play in this match despite what Barca's coach said.
2nd picture: Highest goal scorers.
4th picture: Barcelona at PSV Stadium (venue of the final).
