Oshoala Guns For Second UWCL Title
Super Falcons forward Asisat Oshoala say Barcelona are the underdogs heading into Saturday’s (today) UEFA Women’s Champions League final against Lyon.
The Spanish club, who lost 4-1 when the sides met in the final three years ago, won their first continental crown last year defeating Chelsea 4-0 in the Champions League final 12 months ago.
The pair face off again in Turin in the final on Saturday (today) – with Barca looking to defend their title against seven-time champions Lyon and the four-time African Women’s Footballer thinks the French side has an edge because of their pedigree in the competition.
“They won the Champions League five years in a row, so they’re obviously the team to beat here,” Oshoala said ahead of the game.
“They have amazing players and amazing history when it comes to women’s soccer in Europe. So I think you still expect the same Lyon as three years ago. They got better as well.
“They signed new players and tried to beef up the team so I think they are much stronger than they were.
“But when it comes to football, it comes down to whoever utilizes their chances ends up winning th e game.”
Meanwhile, Oshoala thinks reducing the final in Turin to a match-up between two Ballon d’Or winners is “lame”.
Barca midfielder Alexia Putellas won the Women’s Ballon d’Or, given to the best female footballer, in 2021 while Lyon forward Ada Hegerberg took the inaugural award in 2018.
“It is not one person against one person, it is a team sport. This is not tennis or darts,” Oshoala old the BBC.
“The Alexia that I know, she’s not a person who puts these things in her mind. She is a player who is very humble.
“We have Lieke (Martens), Caroline (Graham Hansen), myself, we have the goalkeeper (Sandra Panos). At Lyon, they have Dzsenifer Marozsan, Wendi (Renard), and a whole lot of top players in their team.
“It is not about who is superior. I think it is lame to do this type of comparison.”
Oshoala who finished the Primera Liga Iberdrola campaign as joint-top scorer with 20 goals in 19 appearances – despite missing two months of the season with injury would become the most decorated women’s footballer in history if she wins.
