DOMINIQUE JANESSEN is relishing Wolfsburg being seen as the underdogs in their Champions League final clash with Barcelona.
The Netherlands defender and her team-mates will battle their rivals on Saturday with their side aiming to win the contest for a third time.
In their previous encounters Wolfsburg have been the dominant side winning four of their past five matches.
However their most recent meeting saw the Catalan side knock the German club out of last year’s semis which included a 5-1 first-leg demolition at Camp Nou.
Janessen said: “It’s something different and it’s good that we’re not always in the favourite role.
“We’re comfortable right now. We just want to do the best we can and we’re going to try to give Barcelona the hardest time possible.
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“Barcelona are a pretty good team – tactical, technical – so it won’t be an easy game.
“We have a really good plan but we need to be 100% focused.”
The 3:00 pm duel at PSV Eindhoven’s stomping ground in the Netherlands is set to be watched by a sell-out 35,000-strong crowd.
The use of Philips Stadion as the final’s venue brings back warm memories for Janssen who recalls watching her first professional game at the stadium.
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Janssen, who made 100 Gunners appearances before her 2019 Wolfsburg switch, added: “This game is pretty special as I remember my first pro game I attended was at this stadium.
“It is also very close for my family to come to, so it is one of the most important games in my career.
“The journey has been pretty amazing and tomorrow I hope we can celebrate.”
Wolfsburg’s clash with Barcelona will see Tommy Stroot’s side attempt to lift the trophy a decade on from winning it for the first time.
In 2013 they beat Lyon 1-0 in the decider at Stamford Bridge.
Back then their contest-winning side featured Germany star Alexandra Popp.
The Wolfsburg captain is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world having netted 61 goals in 127 senior appearances for Germany.
The Frauen Bundesliga ace, 32, has scored 16 goals in 21 top-flight games this season with her team pipped to an eighth top-flight crown by Bayern Munich.
Popp said: “We always have gone quite far, and that shows the work in this club.
“The way they build the squad every year is great and it shows how the coach and the team work together, how the football has developed.
“”n 2013 we just played forward balls; now we play football, which is nice to see.
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“We are very well prepared for the game and it won’t be like the first leg last year (in the semi-finals).”
Barcelona vs. Wolfsburg in the Women’s Champions League final can be watched live from 3:00pm on Saturday 3 June DAZN’s YouTube channel.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
