LUCY BRONZE never doubted Barcelona could pull off a second-half fightback to stun Wolfsburg in the Women’s Champions League final.
After a first-half fright they stormed to a 3-2 victory with the full-back lifting the contest trophy for a fourth time.
Patri Guijarro shone bagging a two-minute double with Barcelona thwarting Wolfsburg’s hopes of a hat-trick of final wins in the competition.
Their triumph led to Bronze becoming the first Englishwoman to lift the trophy with two different clubs following three previous victories with her former club Lyon.
It also saw Keira Walsh win her first Champions League medal following her transfer record-breaking switch from Manchester City last September.
Bronze said: “I don’t think we were ever worried about us scoring three goals, which is a crazy feat to do.
“But that’s the talent of this team.
“You’ve seen the two finals Barcelona have lost where they’ve been heavily beaten by Lyon.
“Once it was two goals (down against us) we shut up shop.
“We made it really difficult defensively and created loads of chances in attack.”
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Walsh added: “If there’s any team that can overturn a 2-0 deficit it’s this team and that’s what we did.
“Patri Guijarro is a special, special player, for me the best player in the world.
“It’s been a pretty good year, winning the Euros and the Champions League.
“If someone was to tell me this was going to happen I wouldn’t believe them.”
Coming into this game, Jonatan Giraldez’s team were considered the favourites having reached last year’s final brushing Wolfsburg aside in the semis.
But they suffered a scare in the third minute with Bronze, back in action following knee surgery in April, dispossessed by Ewa Pajor.
Seconds later the striker slammed the ball past goalkeeper Sandra Panos with Barcelona conceding a third minute goal – their earliest ever in the contest.
Stunned by that moment the Liga F champs looked to hit back immediately with Salma Paralluelo blazing over before Irena Paredes headed wide.
After weathering pressure, with Lena Oberdorf making some brave blocks, Wolfsburg made some rare forays forward.
And they went 2-0 up against the run of play with Pajor teeing up Alexandra Popp’s headed finish near half time.
The second spell saw Barcelona turn the game on its head with Guijarro’s two-minute brace.
The midfielder fired home at the near post two minutes before heading in a 50th minute effort leaving their rivals shocked.
Fridolina Rolfo rifled a shot at Wolfsburg goalkeeper Merle Frohms moments later, with Pajor testing Panos in the 70th minute.
And Wolfsburg’s dream start became a nightmare finish as Rolfo punished a defensive error to slam home a tournament-winning goal.
Her finish saw the LaLiga Women’s champs title holders become the queens of club football in Europe for the second time.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
