The locker room is hoping to turn around Erin Cuthbert’s goal in the first half in Montjuïc. It is not a common scenario for the Blaugrana, but the team has set a precedent to trust in the comeback: “We do not normally encounter these situations during the season, but these types of games are the ones that motivate you and get you the best of this team that has known how to come back in more difficult moments than this. If we did it in Eindhoven in 45 minutes, here in 90, why not?” recalls Aitana Bonmatí.
Jonatan Giráldez agrees with her, who assures that tomorrow’s game “is not the most difficult game” they have faced: “The challenge in the last Champions League final was greater, we had to score three goals later in the second half” . “Tomorrow is just another challenge,” says the Blaugrana coach: “We don’t have to do anything exceptional, create more chances and deserve to win the game.”
The Galician coach also does not want all the focus to be on the psychological part of the comeback: “The mental part is an important part, but football will also be key. You have to do everything well, play football well, be strong mentally…” For Aitana, “defeats are where you learn the most” and she appears confident. “We are not very used to losing, but there is no time for regrets. We have analyzed well how we played that game and what we have to do tomorrow. “We have complete confidence.”
The Ballon d’Or was quite critical of Chelsea’s constant loss of time in the first leg, going so far as to describe their football as “dirty play”. With a second leg at Stamford Bridge looking similar, Aitana prefers to focus on Barça having a good game: “It’s something that doesn’t depend on us. The opponent prepares the game in the way they see fit, it could be a strategy, but I would like to focus on our game and if the situation arises again, we will be warned because we will have already experienced similar situations, and that is what the game is for. referee.” That’s why she is sure that Barça “doesn’t have to do many different things.” “We are a team that goes out to win, not to speculate. We don’t know how to play any other way,” says Aitana.
