So is the situation before the semi -finals of the Champions League
Both Champions League semi-finals on the women’s side will be decided on Sunday. First out is Chelsea -Barcelona (15.00), and then Lyon – Arsenal (18.00). Here are five points before the decision:
Barça’s takeover
Barcelona Looks to be well on the way to its fifth straight Champions League final. The Catalan big team has 4–1 to go on from the first semi -final meeting toward Chelsea Before the return on Stamford Bridge.
Immediately after last week’s defeat on away ground, the English national team back Lucy Bronze (formerly in Barcelona) held a fire speech for its teammates in Chelsea.
– The message was that we have to believe that it is possible to turn, says Chelsea’s coach Sonia Bompastor to The Guardian. The return meeting is a new opportunity for us, to play at home for our supporters, and we must feel that it is possible to reverse the result.
In addition to the downside, Chelsea – which tops the domestic league in England – struggles with a long injury list. None of the fixed stars Sam Kerr (knee) or Lauren James (thighs) can play, and there are also question marks for Swedish national team back Nathalie Björn which was forced to relinquish this week’s league match against Crystal Palace.
Arsenal’s chance
The experience speaks for Lyonwhich can secure a final advance for the twelfth time in the Champions League’s 24-year history. But Arsenal Still going to France with a decent favorable location: only a target’s downside from the first match that Lyon won with 2–1.
– We know what we can expect from Lyon, we know their strengths and know where to threaten. But we know we can do it too, says Arsenal coach René Sleegers.
– This team always has a winning setting, no matter what happens, everyone continues to pour themselves to the plan. This is what has made us been able to reverse matches earlier.
Hundreds of Arsenal supporters are expected to travel to Lyon for the return match. Many of them would like to remember the group game meeting from the Champions League season 2022/2023 when the London team beat the French giants by 5-1 on away ground.
Swedish playing time
In Barcelona has Fridolina Rolfö got used to jumping between the starting elf and the bench when coach Pere Romeu matches his squad during the club Kvadrupeljakt. In the first semi -final meeting, Rolfö had to jump into the 81st minute.
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd Learn as usual from start to right in Chelsea’s attack, while there are doubts for Nathalie Björn’s physical status. In this week’s league match she was not available.
In Arsenal’s first meeting with Lyon, no Swedish was in the starting eleven. Stina Blackstenius was replaced after 62 minutes, while Amanda Ilestedt and Pink Kafaji Stayed on the bench the entire match. Arsenal’s fourth Swedish Lina Hurtig Fighting with injury problems that have kept her from games for a month.
So far there has been no playing time in the Champions League for Elma Junttila-Nelhage In Lyon. However, the Swedish U23 national team hill played 90 minutes when Lyon defeated Nantes in the league on Wednesday.
The judge
There will be another blue -yellow element in the semi -final decision: Tess Olofsson has been appointed to judge the meeting between Chelsea and Barcelona. The Swedish judge was commissioned to judge the Olympic final between the United States and Brazil last year and is one of 13 judges withdrawn for the European Championships this summer.
The final
The teams that advance meet in the final played at José Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon May 24.
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