VfL trainer Tommy Stroot does not see any disadvantage in the fact that it goes from highlight to highlight without a break. “Sleep, regenerate, work, and then the next matchday comes. But that’s the best thing of all: These games give us great pleasure,” assured the 33-year-old. The coach immediately called out to his players in a circle: “Enjoy the moment: Barcelona!”
A childhood dream comes true for players like Lena Oberdorf
As a reward for the brilliant performance against Arsenal in front of at least 11,293 spectators in the VW Arena – for the first time in eight years the women moved again – the duels against the defending champion FC Barcelona, who with his world record for attendance and the 91,553 fans in Camp Nou against Real Madrid is on everyone’s lips worldwide.
For Schult it is “Pure anticipation that we will be able to compete at the Camp Nou next.” Playing there once, they always have “as a goal in mind” had. For teammates like Lena Oberdorf “Childhood Dream Come True”. Wolfsburg had last been in the final in 2020 and also won the female premier class in 2013 and 2014.
Lena Lattwein and Tabea Waßmuth have developed fabulously
The Munich women would have loved to have reached a Champions League semi-final again after 2019 and 2021, but the Corona outbreak came at an inopportune time. With the weakening of personnel, Wolfsburg is now the favourite, especially since the team also delivers top performances under Stroot; a characteristic that his predecessors Stephan Lerch and Ralf Kellermann already implanted in the VfL women’s department. National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg also believes “What distinguishes Wolfsburg at the moment is that they have real mentality players. They’ve all grown.”
The internationals Lena Lattwein (retired against Arsenal with a muscle injury at half-time) and Tabea Waßmuth immediately took on important roles after moving from TSG Hoffenheim and compensated for the long-term absences of top performers Alexandra Popp and Ewa Pajor, who have just returned.
Praise from national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg
For Voss-Tecklenburg it is “It’s impressive how far Wolfsburg and Bayern are ahead of the rest of the league. They’re better at withstanding challenges and setbacks.” There is also little indication that the dominance of the duo will be shaken so quickly: VfL has not only signed top talent Jule Brand from Hoffenheim for the new season, but has also already clarified the goalkeeper question.
Merle Frohms, the current number one of the DFB women, is leaving her contract early in Frankfurt to return to Wolfsburg. Title collector Schult will then, according to many close observers, continue her career in the US professional league.