Wolfsburg 1-4 Barça: Upper hand taken
They hadn't met since the 2022/23 season 3-2 comeback Champions League final win in Eindhoven, but today's match in Germany again went with the blaugranes, as Barça defeated Wolfsburg 1-4 in this season's WCL quarterfinal first leg.
Coach Pere Romeu selected a strong side, albeit shorn of regulars Kika and Ona Battle who were missing through injury, with Jana starting at right back in place of the latter. Rolfö, Engen and Pajor were all back on a familiar stomping ground as former Wolfsburg players.
Control but few chances
Barça began in their usual dominating fashion at the Volkswagen Arena with 13,158 spectators watching on.
Wolfsburg defended well initially and tried to break out whenever they could, but the blaugranes' passing and pressing to recover the ball stymied any attacking attempts from the home side.
The result was somewhat of a stalemate for a while, with Barça having joy down the flanks, Pajor having a header from a cross saved in the centre of the goal on 21 minutes. She was to be involved in the breakthrough though, the raiding Graham Hansen crossing from the right, and the Pole's shot deflecting off Dijkstra to make it 0-1 at the break.
Two quick goals
Wolfsburg came out looking to tie up the game, but that just left more space at the back for the blaugranes to exploit. However, short corner routines were seeding panic in the home side's area, and the second goal came that way, Mapi León's ball in being diverted into the net by Paredes from inside the box (0-2 min 50).
The third came soon after, a Wolfsburg attacking set piece broke down, and away came Aitana with the ball on the break, switching it Salma Paralluelo whose left foot shot from the right was deflected in (0-3, min 53).
Stunning shot seals it
Wolfsburg threw on attackers in an attempt to get something out of the game, but it was still Barça who had further attempts, Pajor's chip over the keeper going just wide before another short corner routine saw Mapi León's effort turned over.
The home side were to have some joy, however. After forcing their first corner of the game, Minge scored a great header into the top left corner of Coll's goal. That signalled Pere Romeu to make changes of his own, and one of the substitutes definitely made her mark, Schertenleib receiving the ball just inside the box, touching it to the right of a defender, before unleashing a superb curling shot in the top right corner to make it 1-4 in the 87th minute.
All in all a great day at the office for the blaugranes with the upper hand undoubtedly taken before the return leg at the Estadi Johan Cruyff on 27 March (kickoff 6.45pm CET).
MATCH STATS
WOLFSBURG 1
BARÇA 4
Wolfsburg: Borbe, Wilms, Dijkstra, Minge, Linder (Jónsdóttir min 59), Huth, Lattwein (Kielland, min 93), Wedemeyer, Beerensteyn (Blomqvist min 71), Popp (Endemann min 71), Brand (Peddemors min 59)
Barça: Cata Coll, Brugts (Engen min 70), María León, Paredes, Jana (Torrejón min 92), Alexia (Schertenleib min 85), Patri, Aitana (Vicky min 92), Paralluelo (Rolfö min 70), Pajor, Graham.
Goals: 0-1 Dijkstra (own goal min 26), 0-2 Paredes (min 50), 0-3 Paralluelo (min 53), 1-3 Minge (min 79), 1-4 Schertenleib (min 88).
Refereeing team: Ivana Projkovska, Staša Špur, Heini Hyvönen. Yellow cards for Popp from Wolfsburg and Schertenleib from Barça