Patri Guijarro struck twice as Barcelona produced a stunning comeback to beat Wolfsburg 3-2 and clinch a second Women’s Champions League trophy. The Catalans were two goals down at the break but hit back strongly to triumph in Eindhoven, with Fridolina Rolfö stroking home the winner with 20 minutes remaining.
Barcelona secured victory with two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas on the bench until the final stages, as she continues to find form after the knee injury which sidelined her for most of the season.
Barcelona displayed their mental growth as they conquered Europe for the second time. This after suffering a defeat labelled “traumatic” by captain Alexia Putellas against Lyon in last season’s final.
Coach Jonathan Giraldez said that kind of steely mentality was something which the team had been working on attaining this season.
“In football there are sometimes more important things, it’s not enough just to play well,” Giraldez told reporters.
“Today, character was key. They did not let themselves sink. They came out with an incredible attitude and that is important.
“We have worked on that through the season, that in the bad moments you have to give the best version of yourself.”
Defeat would have been a big set-back, with the club determined to dominate women’s football, reaching four of the last five finals.
Barcelona played their first Champions League final in 2019, when Lyon steamrollered them 4-1, netting four goals inside the first 30 minutes.
They won their second in 2021, inflicting the same misery on Chelsea -- hitting four by the 36th minute.
Last season it was their turn to collapse against Lyon, conceding three in the first 33 minutes, with Putellas pulling one back in a 3-1 defeat.
After Ewa Pajor and Alexandra Popp struck early on for Tommy Stroot’s Wolfsburg, history seemed to be repeating itself once more.
Barcelona’s mentality is not the same now as it was then, though, with the club taking steps forward each year in their bid to lead women’s football in the 2020s, as record eight-time winners Lyon did in the 2010s.
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