FC Bayern’s women’s team feels prepared for the «cauldron» of Camp Nou, even with two vital pillars absent.
The mere mention of the «cauldron» Camp Nou made Giulia Gwinn’s eyes light up. «I’ve never played there before and I’m incredibly excited,» emphasized the FC Bayern leader, looking ahead to the Champions League showdown next weekend in Barcelona, adding, «We’re coming in highly motivated.» The Munich team’s treble dream remains alive after the semi-final first leg – despite all the frustration.
«We felt what’s possible,» said Gwinn confidently after the hard-fought 1-1 (0-1) draw against FC Barcelona – and temporarily set aside the anger over the loss of Franziska Kett and Jose Barcala. According to Gwinn, Bayern is just «one step» away from the final on May 23rd in Oslo, and their first Champions League final in club history: «Everything has been reset to zero. We have nothing to lose.»
This is even more true after Saturday evening’s experience. Because despite all the joy over what director Bianca Rech called a «very, very good performance» in front of 31,000 fans at the Allianz Arena: Bayern was left with a bitter aftertaste before the return leg next Sunday (4:30 PM) in Barcelona. These two red cards, as Gwinn also lamented, were «a real shame.»
Both goal-scorer Kett (69th minute) and coach Barcala will be absent in Barcelona – to the complete bewilderment of the Munich players. «The referee lost control,» said Rech: «I don’t know how many cards she handed out like Smarties in the end.» Kett had pulled opponent Salma Paralluelo by her hair, and Barcala was subsequently sent off for dissent.
FC Bayern: Red cards were ‘unfair’
Both expulsions were «unfair,» stated the Spaniard. He himself had only «shouted,» which would «never» justify a red card. And Kett? The coach insisted that she «never had the intention to pull hair»: «That needs to be discussed.»
It’s «very bitter to lose two important people from our team in such a situation,» said Gwinn. However, nothing could be changed, and even without Kett and Barcala, Bayern wants to hold their own in Barcelona – and finally put the 1-7 humiliation from the league phase behind them.
With the draw against the «best team in the world,» as Rech put it, the players have at least «created good conditions for the return leg» – even if they face a «mammoth task» at Camp Nou. But Gwinn didn’t want to dwell on that. «The team will use today’s game to just want more,» emphasized the German national team captain: «So: Don’t hide, go full throttle.»
English Translation and Rephrasing:
FC Bayern Women Face Barcelona in Champions League Semis, But Red Cards Cloud Their Spirits
FC Bayern’s women’s team is heading into the intimidating atmosphere of Camp Nou for their Champions League semi-final second leg, despite the significant setback of two red cards and their coach being sent off in the first match.
Giulia Gwinn’s eyes sparkled at the thought of the «cauldron» that is Camp Nou. «I’ve never played there before, and I’m incredibly excited,» the FC Bayern key player declared, looking forward to the upcoming Champions League showdown in Barcelona. She added, «We’re coming with a lot of motivation.» The Munich team’s pursuit of a treble remains a possibility, even after the first leg of their semi-final, despite recent frustrations.
«We saw what we’re capable of,» Gwinn stated with conviction after the hard-fought 1-1 draw (0-1 at halftime) against FC Barcelona, putting aside her frustration over the dismissals of Franziska Kett and coach Jose Barcala. Gwinn believes Bayern is just «one step» away from the final on May 23rd in Oslo and their first-ever Champions League final appearance: «It’s a clean slate now. We have nothing to lose.»
This sentiment is amplified by the events of Saturday evening. While director Bianca Rech praised the team’s «very, very strong performance» in front of 31,000 fans at the Allianz Arena, Bayern was left with a bitter taste ahead of the return leg next Sunday (4:30 PM) in Barcelona. Gwinn also expressed her disappointment, calling the two red cards «a real pity.»
Both goal-scorer Kett (69th minute) and coach Barcala will miss the Barcelona match, much to the disbelief of the Bayern players. «The referee lost control of the game,» declared Rech, questioning the number of cards issued: «I don’t know how many cards she was handing out like sweets.» Kett received a red card for pulling opponent Salma Paralluelo’s hair, and Barcala was subsequently dismissed for arguing with the officials.
FC Bayern: Expulsions Deemed ‘Unfair’
The coach described both dismissals as «unfair.» He argued that his own reaction, which involved «shouting,» never warranted a red card. Regarding Kett’s incident, the coach insisted that she «never intended to pull hair,» stating, «This needs to be debated.»
«It’s extremely disappointing to lose two vital members of our team in such circumstances,» Gwinn commented. However, there’s no changing the decision, and even without Kett and Barcala, Bayern is determined to compete in Barcelona and finally erase the memory of their 1-7 defeat during the league phase.
Rech believes that the draw against «the best team in the world» has given the players «good conditions for the return leg,» even though they face a «huge challenge» at Camp Nou. Gwinn, however, is not dwelling on the difficulty. «The team will use today’s game to fuel their desire for more,» the German captain affirmed: «Therefore: Don’t hold back, go all out.»