The lawn of the José Alvalade was flooded with tears. The frustration sank Barça. After three consecutive triumphs against rivals that seemed unbeatable (the Lyon and Wolfsburg), the Barça painting succumbed to an arsenal whose glory went back to 2007. Until Joan Laporta, the president, succumbed to the excited grief of the soccer players, whose feeling revealed that they did not expect this setback. “We are made dust,” said Alexia Putellas. “I don't believe it yet,” Bonmatí blushed.
Mariona Caledentey in front of Irene Paredes, her old companion, during the Lisbon Champions Final. / Valentine Enrich / Spo
Mariona's change
Mariona Caledentey changed Barça for Arsenal last summer and was not wrong. He has not stopped celebrating titles. He left to explore new personal experiences and sports challenges that lived dressed in Barca, member like a winning machine. It is she who does not stop winning. The fourth consecutive Champions conquered Lisbon at the expense of his companions, which he went to comfort.
The fourth Champions of the Mallorcan Mariona meant Ewa Pajor's fifth final. The Polish lead also changed club last summer, obsessed with knowing the euphoria of feeling European champion. He kept accumulating frustrations with the Wolfsburg. First in front of Lyon, three times; Last year against Barça, this time against Arsenal. He wanted to wear Barca, and reached another final. And lost it again.
Ewa Pajor congratulates a partner while the Austrian Daphne van Domselaar, the arsenal goalkeeper, retains the ball. / PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP
A different Barça
Neither Alexia nor Aitana found explanation to disappointment that just began to digest. In the field they saw that they had lost some of their hallmarks. They had little patience to move the arsenal with passes, as if they were impelled to get the trophy, who believed their own, as quickly as possible. Arsenal knew how to defend himself with order, without falling into the anthology of Chelsea's time loss, for example, until he obtained The advantage on the scoreboard via Stina Blackstenius. A poorly defended action, Aitana said, as equally created were attack actions. A shot to the closure of Clàudia Pina was the best occasion.
Stina Blackstenius finishes goal in the action of the goal that gave the title to Arsenal. / PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP
Forced changes
Cata Coll avoided two goals before Blackstenius bathed her with a crossed shot in a long play after a corner Barça was forced to accelerate the game to trace the score but already had only a quarter of an hour of time.
The situation demanded substitutions in the attack positions, where no one found solutions. Pere Romeu, however, was forced to do Two changes in defense. He had previously relieved Pina by Salama Paralluelo at the far left (M 62), but then withdrew Mapi León (injured) already Fridololina Rolfö, who served as a left side, by Ingrid Engen and Esmee Brugts. Romeu did not appeal to the young Vicky López and Sydney Sclertenleib, the fronts that were left by his side on the bench.
Irene Paredes introduces the ball into the goal of Cata Coll in an autogol that was canceled. / Valentine Enrich / Spo
Irene's celebration
The first celebration of the party was to Irene Paredes, and it was to express his joy for the goal annulled to Arsenal, that she had marked when trying to erroneously intercept a center. The 33 -year -old central, which had renewed its contract this week until 2027, took his hands to the head, desperately, to believe that he multiplied the difficulties of the final. Technology saved Barça and changed the tone of the game. That blow that was not released to the group, which increased his harassment. Irene immediately closed the parenthesis of that lapse. It was again the usual defensive portent.
Kim Little focuses a ball to the Barca area. / Valentine Enrich / Spo
The distance does not exist
When Barça debuted in the Champions League, precisely against Arsenal September 26, 2012, The English club had already played 65 meetings. The outcome of the duel corresponded to the different football pedigree of the women's teams: 0-3 in the Miniestadi and 4-0 far from London. In the reunion of Lisbon, the distance did not exist on the grass. The two clubs are centenarians, regular at the highest European competition and Barça has conquered more titles than gunnersimmersed in a winning cycle that was interrupted in Lisbon. Kim Little and Alexia Putellas were the only ones who played that meeting. Thirty and captains were reunited.
“This will help us to return stronger next year,” Aitana said, dried the tears, again with frown, it would be: the face of an athlete who does not tolerate losing.
