The VfL Wolfsburg players experienced a debacle in front of a world record crowd at the Camp Nou. The disappointment after the bankruptcy at FC Barcelona is great.
It should have been a magical Champions League evening in front of a world record crowd at the legendary Camp Nou – instead, the atmosphere at VfL Wolfsburg was at its lowest point. “A huge disappointment that you deliver such a game here,” said Alexandra Popp on the “DAZN” microphone and summed up the emotional state after the 1: 5 (0: 4) debacle with a petrified expression.
Tabea Waßmuth chose even more drastic words than her teammate after the semi-final first leg at FC Barcelona: “Barca just showed us in the first half.” And that’s definitely not how it was imagined with the two-time Champions League winner, despite the star-studded top Spanish team being favorites.
At the gala presentation of the defending champion in front of 91,648 fans, VfL was often only an astonished spectator. The Spaniards combined quickly and seemingly effortlessly through the Wolfsburg ranks, which were overwhelmed in the first half. Aitana Bonmati (3rd), ex-Wolfsburg player Caroline Hansen (10th), Jennifer Hermoso (33rd) and world footballer Alexia Putellas (38th, 85th / penalty kick) scored the goals for Barca.
The Wolfsburg consolation goal by Jill Roord (73rd) on her birthday hardly improved the mood. National goalkeeper Almuth Schult prevented things from getting worse for the underdog.
VfL Wolfsburg needed a miracle
The dream of the final has already become almost unattainable before the second leg on April 30th in the VW Arena (6:00 p.m.). For coach Tommy Stroot it is also “clear that Barca can plan the journey towards the final very well”. But Wolfsburg doesn’t want to let the shame sit on them, according to Stroot they want to “show our faces” again at the next meeting.
Above all, the coach was disappointed “about the manner” of the defeat, there was a lack of “courage and consistency”. There was a “little brake” on it, “perhaps also for these reasons, spectators, atmosphere and the Champions League semifinals”. But the scenery is “by no means an excuse for our performance,” emphasized Waßmuth on DAZN.
Less than a month after Barca set new standards in women’s football with 91,553 spectators in the quarter-finals against Real Madrid, that record was surpassed again against Wolfsburg. “It’s an experience that will stay with us for the rest of our lives,” Stroot said. Despite the result, it would have been wrong to “disappear straight into the cabin and drive away, the moment is just too special for that”.
At VfL Wolfsburg, nationally on the championship and cup course, only one thing counts: “Cheer up,” said Wassmuth: “We still have 90 minutes.” So far, 15,000 spectators are expected. Stroot hopes “there will be more, because they really can see the best women’s team in the world.” Which VfL then wants to get a better grip on.