FC Barcelona wants to put its place on track to the final of the Queen’s Cup with a victory in a luxury venue like San Mamés and against a historic rival such as Athletic (7pm, Teledeporte). One of the historical classics of women’s football. The Basques and Catalans will repeat the final played in the red and white temple in 2014, which Barça won on penalties.
The red and white team is not going through its best moment, it is eighth in the League with 26 points, just as many behind the leader, the undefeated Barcelona. The ‘lionesses’ are one of the favorite preys of this Barça, who in the last three seasons have not conceded a single goal by the ‘lionesses’ and since then they have achieved rout victories.
After a year in which they were eliminated from the competition due to Geyse’s improper alignment, the ‘queens’ of the Cup, with nine titles under their belt, once again dream of lifting the trophy one more year. Barça fans are excited about the return of Fridolina Rolfö and Alexia Putellas to a call-up. The Swede has missed the entire season due to meniscus surgery and the captain has not played since November due to knee problems.
The cup tie will be the first match after the international break, in which many Blaugranas have accumulated many minutes with their national teams, especially the Spanish internationals, winners of the Nations League. “When the soccer players return from the National Teams it is very important to rediscover themselves at the playing level,” acknowledged Giráldez, who faces a month of March with a scary calendar. The Blaugrana will play a double match every week with the two Cup semi-final ties and the Champions League quarter-finals against Brann, in addition to the League matches, which also include the classic against Real Madrid on Sunday, March 24 at the Di Stefano.
Today, in San Mamés, the same stadium that they hope to visit again at the end of May, in the Champions League final, Barça will look for a good result in the first leg of the Cup semifinals so as not to depend on what happens in Johan Cruyff a week later. The atmosphere will undoubtedly be a big day and a very good start is expected in a San Mamés that will pay tribute to the pioneers of women’s football at the gates of International Women’s Day, which is commemorated next Friday, March 8.
