VfL Wolfsburg star Lynn Wilms reflects on UWCL heartache ahead of crunch Barcelona meeting | OneFootball

The UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) has once again pitted VfL Wolfsburg against Spanish champions Barcelona. This time around, the two powerhouses will meet in the quarter-finals. Barcelona emerged as champions of the competition in 2023, when the two met during the final in Eindhoven.

Wolfsburg’s iconic defender Lynn Wilms spoke to Her Football Hub ahead of the UWCL Quarter final, stressing how ‘exciting’ the clash was going to be.

“We have to be really fiery across the two games, we play against a top club and we will have to measure ourselves against that. In many ways, I would say we are the underdog,” the Dutch international said.

The five-time finalists almost emerged victorious in the 2023 final but were pipped through a stunning Barcelona comeback. Wolfsburg led Barcelona 2-0 through an early goal from Ewa Pajor and a follow-up from legend Alexandra Popp. However, Barca came from behind to snatch the trophy after two goals from Patri and Fridolina Rolfö’s winner late in the game.

UWCL revenge not a motivation for Wolfsburg

“Personally, that would always be the game I’d choose to change, you know. If I could go back,” Wilms admitted when discussing Wolfsburg’s agonising narrow miss two years ago. However, revenge isn’t something the She-Wolves feel motivated by.

“It’s a new day, a new game,” Wilms continued. “You know, we don’t even have the same team now. Lena Oberdorf left us and and Ewa Pajor, but now we’ll be playing against her. So it’s a whole new challenge really, and a whole new set-up.”

COLOGNE, GERMANY – MAY 09: (L-R) Lynn Wilms and Sveindis Jonsdottir of Wolfsburg kiss the Trophy after winning the Women’s DFB Cup final match between FC Bayern München and VfL Wolfsburg at RheinEnergieStadion on May 09, 2024 in Cologne, Germany. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)

Pajor left Wolfsburg in 2024 for European rivals Barcelona. The Poland international scored just shy of 100 league goals for Wolfsburg, aligning her as close to a club legend as one can be in football.

‘Winning the UWCL would be a dream’

Winning trophies is nothing new for Lynn Wilms. The 24-year-old has two Eredivisie titles and the Frauen-Bundesliga trophy under her belt with FC Twente and Wolfsburg respectively. However, there is one major winners’ medal she is desperate to add to her cabinet.

“It would be my dream to be honest,” the Dutch defender said when asked about winning the UWCL. “We always say in the dressing room, ‘dream big’, and I really hope that one day this trophy is given to me.”

Wolfsburg will host Barcelona at the Volkswagen Arena on March 19th. They will then play out the quarter-final second leg on the champions’ home soil eight days later.

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