Five details that can determine the CL final
Tonight's Champions League final in football at Gamla Ullevi is very uncertain in advance. Here are five details that could make the difference between Chelsea and Barcelona.
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Sam Kerr has scored 27 goals for Chelsea this season. Will the Australian attacking star become a match hero again in tonight's Champions League final against Barcelona? Photo: Adam Ihse/TT 1) Can Barcelona stop Chelsea's attacking stars? Sam Kerr (27), Fran Kirby (25) and Pernille Harder (16) done together in league and cup games this season. It will be an extremely tough nut to crack for Barcelona. Much depends on the fact that midfielder Mapi Leon can keep the defense together even though the regular pair horse Andrea Pereira is suspended. 2) What does the final routine mean? Chelsea make their first Champions League final, Barcelona have been here before. If you can believe the Catalans, they can tonight take advantage of that 1-4 loss against Lyon two years ago. – Since 2019, we have fought to play a new final. We know it will be tough but we really want to show what we have been working on since 2019. We have sacrificed a lot to be here, said Spanish national team goalkeeper Sandra Paños at yesterday's press conference. Pernille Harder is the only one in Chelsea who has played a Champions League final before, but team captain Magdalena Eriksson does not think it matters. – We have so many experienced players in the team, who have been in some of the biggest matches, it has been European Championship finals, World Cup finals and Olympic finals. That is what is most important. We have an experienced team that knows how to win finals, said Eriksson. 3) Criminal decision = Chelsea victory? Three of the last five Champions League finals on the women's side have been extended, in two of them penalties have made the final decision. If that also happens tonight, there is probably nothing that scares Ann-Katrin Berger. The Chelsea goalkeeper almost broke Atlético Madrid on her own when she saved two penalties in one and the same match in one and the same final. The German is definitely entering a potential penalty shootout full of confidence. However, it must be said that Barcelona's Sandra Paños hardly knows how it feels to concede a goal at all this season. Four admitted in 19 league matches, one in the domestic cup game and a total of three in this year's Champions League. That's all. 4) Full of match winners – does anyone hide a secret? The fingers of the hands are not enough to list all the stars in the final. Pernille Harder, Sam Kerr, Fran Kirby and Magdalena Eriksson stand out in Chelsea. Caroline Graham Hansen, Lieke Martens, Jennifer Hermoso and Asisat Oshoala are some of Barcelona's foremost. Or will it be one of the less noticed class players who steps forward? Any of Barcelona's own products like Vicky Losada or Alexia Putellas? Chelsea midfield profiles Ji So-Yun and Melanie Leupolz? Or why not a Swedish left-back in Jonna Andersson? 5) Who handles the Gothenburg weather best? Gothenburg is sometimes called “Little London” and Chelsea's coach Emma Hayes stated during yesterday's press conference that the weather – it rains most of the time – should suit the London team nicely. – I feel great. It's raining outside and it's just like home in London, Hayes said. However, Barcelona's team captain Vicky Losada refused to agree that Chelsea have a meteorological advantage. – I do not think the rain is a disadvantage for us. Sometimes we have had problems getting the ball moving on certain surfaces. But we do not think it is something that will decide, and I even see it as that it can enable us to get better movement on the ball, said Losada. Chelsea-Barcelona have kick-off at 21.00 tonight.