The most anticipated game of the season, the UEFA Women’s Champions League final, was played at the Philips Stadion in Eindhoven on June 3. The game saw Spanish champions Barcelona Femeni, face off against the German league runner-up, VFL Wolfsburg, in what turned out to be one of the most entertaining UWCL final matches of all time.
Barcelona did a ‘remontada’ and ended the game as champions after completing a dramatic comeback against their German counterparts. The Catalan giants had to fight for the win after going into halftime two goals behind Wolfsburg.
After conceding two goals in the first half of the game, Barcelona players and fans alike were forced to recall the memories of what happened in Turin a year ago—a final where they lost to Olympique Lyonnais after conceding early and going behind at halftime.
However, this time around, the Blaugrana were not going to throw in the towel without putting up a fight. Barcelona ended up putting the ghost of Turin behind them and scoring three goals in the second half to secure their second European final win in four final appearances.
We take you through all the drama and goal action as Barcelona defeats Wolfsburg 3-2 to be crowned champions of the 2022/2023 edition of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
First Half
Barcelona kicked off the game and sought to clamp down on Wolfsburg early in the game. The Blaugrana showed their hunger and desperation for a win and went in search of a goal from the very first minute of the game.
Patri Guijarro had the game’s first shot on target with a well-struck shot that went flying straight into the Wolfsburg goalkeeper’s hands.
But it wasn’t just Barcelona that came into the match looking for an early lead; Wolfsburg had the same intentions as well. And it was the Germans who eventually scored the crucial early goal.
In the 3rd minute of the game, the top scorer of the tournament, Ewa Pajor, robbed Lucy Bronze of the ball in front of Barcelona’s penalty area and found the back of the net with a beautiful strike from outside the box. The power behind the shot was just enough to make sure that the flailing arms of Sandra Panos could not stop the ball from hitting the back of the net, even though the Barcelona goalkeeper got a touch on the ball.
And just like that, Barcelona found themselves behind despite their impressive start to the game. The Catalan queens kept pushing for an equalizer. And as we are used to seeing them play every week, they kept possession of the ball for long spells.
Their first chance came in the 7th minute when Salma Paralluelo latched onto a loose ball in the box. However, the teenager couldn’t keep her shot down and watched as it flew harmlessly over the crossbar.
Barcelona came very close to equalizing in the 13th minute when Mapi Leon whipped in a delightful ball to the far post from a corner kick. Her defensive partner on the night, Irene Paredes, who was unmarked at the far end of Wolfsburg’s goal, got on the ball but placed her header just wide off the goalpost.
The waves of attack kept coming relentlessly from the Spanish champions, and they came pretty close to scoring again after Caroline Graham passed the ball back to Aitana Bonmati on the edge of the box. The midfielder’s shot, however, was blocked by the Wolfsburg defense, which at this point was doing a great job of keeping Barcelona quiet.
Barcelona found themselves on the attack again in the 34th minute, when another cross from Mapi Leon on the left flank bounced in front of the goal and the ball went just over the outstretched foot of the onrushing Caroline Graham Hansen.
However, for all their efforts at getting an equalizer, it was Wolfsburg who would get their second goal of the game.
In the 37th minute, Barcelona lost possession of the ball a little bit further up the halfway line. Wolfsburg spread the ball quickly to the flank and found Ewa Pajor, who held onto the ball and picked out Alexandra Popp, who was just running into the Barcelona box with a beautiful cross. Popp made good work of the inch-perfect cross and placed a wonderful header beyond Panos to get Wolfsburg’s second goal of the game.
Although the Barcelona players protested against the goal, complaining about an earlier foul on Mapi Leon by the goalscorer, the goal was allowed to stand after confirmation by the VAR.
At this point, it looked like Barcelona would not be able to avoid a repeat of last year’s loss against Olympique Lyonnais, with cameras even capturing the disappointed look on the face of two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas.
Barcelona got a chance to get themselves back in the game in the additional minutes of the first half. After some neat footwork from Aitana Bonmati to glide past two Wolfsburg defenders, she sent a pass through to Salma Paralluelo. But the pass was a bit too heavy, even for the pacy winger, who still got a touch on the ball but was denied by the goalkeeper.
Thus, the first 45 minutes went by with Barcelona trailing behind by two goals and Wolfsburg threatening to win the much-coveted European title.
Second Half
With a two-goal deficit at halftime, Barcelona needed two goals to give themselves a chance at winning the title. The Blaugrana came into the second half firing on all cylinders and looking ready to give it all they’ve got.
Mariona Caldentey had a shot on target that went directly into the goalkeeper’s hands just 2 minutes after the restart. However, that was just a glimpse of things to come.
In the 48th minute, Caroline Graham Hansen danced past two defenders, faked a shot in the box, and went back to her right side before passing the ball back in front of the goal. The cutback fell right into the path of Patri Guijarro, who got into the box at the right time. The Spanish midfielder guided the ball into the back of the net with a nifty touch and got Barcelona back into the game.
But the Catalans were not done just yet. Barely 2 minutes after their first goal, they got the equalizer they so desperately needed. After an excellent exchange of passes on the right flank, Aitana Bonmati sent a cross into the box after getting the better of a challenge from a sliding tackle with a wonderful dribble. In a similar fashion to her first goal, Patri Guijarro’s late arrival into the box gave her the opportunity to get on the end of the cross and bury a free header into the back of the net.
With two goals in the space of two minutes, Barcelona were fully back in the game. And from that moment on, it seemed like the trophy was heading back to Barcelona.
Barcelona kept dominating play and keeping possession of the ball, but they couldn’t find any clear scoring chances to get a third goal.
In the 67th minute, Ewa Pajor almost put Wolfsburg ahead once again after Barcelona lost possession of the ball. The Wolfsburg number 9 fired a shot straight at goal, but Panos was there to make an excellent save to keep the scoreline even.
Barcelona got their third goal, which ended up being the winning goal, in the 70th minute. Geyse, who was brought on as a substitute, won the ball on the right flank and passed the ball to Mariona, who was unable to get the better of her marker. But as luck would have it, the Wolfsburg defender’s clearance struck a fellow teammate, and the ball found its way back to Mariona, who couldn’t get the ball out from under her feet.
However, like clockwork, in the struggle to win the loose ball, Patri Guijarro was there to poke the ball into the path of Fridolina Rolfo, who took her time to place the ball into the back of the net.
Barcelona had miraculously completed a comeback, from two goals down, the champions of Spain were ahead with a goal. The scoreboard showed 3-2 in favor of Barcelona, and it just looked like their moment was just a few minutes away.
In the 72nd minute, Geyse robbed a Wolfsburg defender of the ball and went on a solo run. But being troubled by two markers, she couldn’t keep her shot down.
Shortly afterward, Aitana Bonmati also had a shot saved by the goalkeeper. After a fierce strike from outside the box in the 76th minute of the contest.
The fourth official raised the board and indicated 7 minutes of added time. Barcelona held on to their lead as Wolfsburg threatened to drag the game into extra time.
With the last kick of the game, a corner kick for Wolfsburg, the cross was met by a Wolfsburg player, but the ball floated in the air and made an easy save for a grateful Sandra Panos.
After eight minutes of added time, the referee blew the final whistle and put an end to the contest.
Goals & Assists
Wolfsburg
3′ Ewa Pajor – Goal
37′ Alexandra Popp – Goal
Ewa Pajor – Assist
Barcelona
48′ Patri Guijarro – Goal
Caroline Graham Hansen – Assist
50′ Patri Guijarro – Goal
Aitana Bonmati – Assist
70′ Fridolina Rolfo – Goal
Patri Guijarro – Assist
Substitutes
70′ Geyse Ferreira – IN
Salma Paralluelo – OUT
79′ Claudia Pina, Ana Maria Crnogorcevic – IN
Mariona Caldentey, Caroline Graham Hansen – OUT
89′ Ingrid Engen, Alexia Putellas – IN
Keira Walsh, Aitana Bonmati – OUT
Barcelona, who momentarily stared down the abyss of another loss in a European final, had done the impossible. A comeback from two goals down proved to be just enough to go past Wolfsburg and be crowned champions of Europe again, for the second time in their history.
Did you miss the match?
Watch the full match of the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final between Barcelona and Wolfsburg here:
🔴 FC BARCELONA – VFL WOLFSBURG | UEFA WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINALE 2023 IM LIVESTREAM – YouTube
Watch the highlights of the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final between Barcelona and Wolfsburg here:
HIGHLIGHTS | Barcelona vs. Wolfsburg (UEFA Women’s Champions League Final 2023)
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