Picaud (with help of her defenders) gave up 8 goals in last 3 out of 4 PSG games... yet she was no. 1 pick ahead of Kiedrzynek (healthy, no injuries). Methinks Herve Renard (NT boss) called Precheur asking for the favor to get Picaud some minutes in tough matches in front of big crowd ahead of Olympics.
The ref seemed to be setting a precedent with the early Van de Donk card (good call despite Carpenter saying Karchaoui dived), but then, she apparently changed her mind. Damaris tried to get the ref to send off Karchaoui, which was absolutely rich coming from Damaris. (These semifinal matches have soured my opinion of Damaris.) Van de Donk definitely could have got a second yellow for dissent. Diani had two hard fouls, and she didn’t get carded. Carpenter got a deserved yellow and decided to complain about it like she did for Van de Donk’s yellow.
Also, there was that advantage she didn’t give PSG when Katoto brilliantly found Groenen in space with good support moving forward. Don’t blame her too much for that one, but that was really frustrating. I thought PSG played pretty well for 75 minutes in the first leg and like 60 minutes yesterday (xG was around even up to the hour mark according to FBref). The problem is they were very poor in the final 15+ minutes in the first leg and quite poor in the last 30+ minutes yesterday.
The final in Bilbao is sold out The #UWCL final between Barcelona and Lyon in Bilbao, Spain is SOLD OUT!!!! 🚨🎟️ pic.twitter.com/a2qAyD9lAe— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) May 15, 2024 Wow, the seating capacity is over 53,000. The stadium is the home of Athletic Bilbao Also, the center referee will be Rebecca Welch (England)
Lyon fans have to chose between the women champions league final and the men's French Cup final next Saturday. They don't bring many fans in general and it will be even worse on Saturday.
In any case with or without the men's French Cup, OL will be in very hostile territory, in Spain against a Spanish team. And the Catalans will be very revengeful after the 2 thrashings of 2019 and 2022, boosted like cuckoos. Let's hope that part of the Basque public does not appreciate Catalonia and will prefer to support Damaris Allez les fenottes, allez l'OL /Mode "Lionnes" ON Les compos officielles de la finale d'UWCL entre le FC Barcelone et l'Olympique Lyonnais 🏆🇪🇺 :#UWCL pic.twitter.com/ym18id2sOb— Femmes Foot News 📰 (@femmesfootnews) May 25, 2024
The bench (better for Barca...) Barca : Paños, Gemma Font - Martina, Mapi Leon, Jana, Marta, Batlle - Pina, Putellas, Bruna, Brugts, Vicky Lopez OL : Belhadj, Benkarth - Morroni, Sombath, Marques, Mbock - Majri, Marozsan - Becho, Hegerberg (ELS and Dabritz injured)
Ok, I am ready. Since I don't particularly root for any of the two teams, I could miss some minutes around dinner, but I guess I'll mostly follow this very interesting match between two super-star teams of the women's football.
In these first 10 minutes, the most impressive presence on the pitch seems to be Graham Hansen with her magical tricks: the ball seems to be magnetically attracted by her feet.
First really big chance of the game at 28' with Patri Guijarro who stripped Lindsay Horan of the ball and had an individual action in OL's box concluded by a good shot: the subsequent random deflection was even more dangerous and was saved on OL's goal-line!
Delicious back-heel pass from Diani at 35', resulting in a dangerous situation in front of Barça's goal. Some minutes later Cascarino's shot is blocked by Bronze. OL is well present in Barcelona's half, although the Blaugrana seem to have more posession and to build more dangerous actions: in-between the OL's actions I mentioned, Salma Paralluelo went down in OL's box, but no PK-worthy foul, apparently. I get the feeling that the ball is almost always in play, with very few breaks (to the point that the TV crew can't even find the time for replays): not many "great" chances, but sure an entertaining match so far. Despite Barça being marginally better so far, you get the feeling that any of the two teams could score at any moment!
0-0 at HT. Graham Hansen, surely the best player of this 1st half, had another dangerous action concluded with a just wide shot. I have the feeling, though, that Barcelona is pushing too much on their Right-Side with Bronze and Graham Hansam and not enough on their Left-Side, where Fridolina Rolfö is somehow kept at bay by the need of taking care of Diani. The tactical set-up is at least as much entertaining as the actual game-play.
German men's Cup final is in 1 hour so please no extra-time (and hopefully Maro will be subbed in in second half).
[ Graham Hansen, Graham Hansen, of yea i see, i vaguely remember that she doesn't miss skills. But i remember she always lost against OL , 2018 final (WOB), 2019 quarter final (WOB), 2020 final (WOB), 2022 final (barca), is there a real good reason for this to change? I don't see
For me best players in 1st half: vd Donk and Horan for Lyon, Bonmati and Paredes for Barca. Hansen's trying hard... but imo she's bit overrated, very nice and high stats... but against medicore or average teams.