The importance of International Women's Day is discussed by Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas. 1:45
There was a buzz of expectation when the draw for the quarterfinals of the Women's European League was made at the end of last year. The return matches will be played this Tuesday and Wednesday, so it is hard to be disappointed.
The most intriguing of the four ties was the match between the reigning champion in their domestic league and clear representatives of their national teams.
Despite their superiority in attack on the night, the ball refused to drop in their favour, and every time they looked like they were on the verge of a goal, Marie-Antoinette Katoto managed to find one for the visitors. The Bavarians have something to build upon next week after the thumping free-kick by Klara Buhl late in the day.
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In order to progress, they would need to do something no German team has ever done and beat Paris Saint-Germain in Paris. The sheer cut and thrust of the Parisiennes attack can be too much for any team to handle. Attack may be the best form of defence for both, with the ability to overload the wide areas likely to be key should they advance.
Fans should keep an eye on how Jens Scheuer uses his bench in the second leg because it should be a close one. All of the attacking options the coach has offer a slightly different way of getting at a tiring defence.
Barcelona played Real Madrid nine days after they played the same opposition for five in the league title game. The hosts were the team that was on top at the start, and to the shock of everyone, they were the one that scored.
Barcelona needed a VAR-awarded penalty at the start of the second half to try and find their rhythm and style, which they have become so well-known for. The coolly dispatched penalty by Alexia Putellas shifted the momentum of the match, and Real's composure and press was replaced by frustration and a fading resolve. The tie was delicately poised until 10 minutes from time, when a low strike inside the box by Pina tipped the scales in favor of the Catalans.
For all the noise of a big win before the match, Real managed to produce one of the best performances of their short existence, but once again, the worry is that the second leg could turn ugly fast. While Pina's introduction at the break could be seen as a masterstroke, the simple fact is that he needed to change something and had few options. Real will be desperate not to be Barcelona's chew toy again.
The match is likely to go one way if Patri Guijarro, Alexia and Aitana Bonmati can gel as a team.
The first hour of this tie was not kind to the hosts, as they looked completely overawed by the European giants who showed up at the stadium. For a team who had never won a match in the European competition before this season, it was a miracle that they made it out of the group.
The Italians were drawn against Lyon, the same team that knocked them out of the competition at the first stage last season. The Bianconere were a mess for the first hour in Turin, not only being pushed back and forced to defend for their lives, but barely able to string four passes together whenever they attempted to break free of Lyon's suffocating attack.
Catarina Macario gave the visitors the lead and the pace early in the match, but a combination of poor finishing and death-defying defending kept Lyon within reach. The turning point was the straight red card of Ellie Carpenter just after the hour mark, which reduced Lyon to 10 and then sparked a white-hot fire of confidence in the team. The hosts began to look dangerous immediately.
Both goals were the result of Lyon mistakes and a newfound determination from the hosts, with more than a touch of the super-sub by Joe Montemurro thrown in. In his first season with the Bianconere, the Australian coach has made the right substitution at the right time.
Heading into the second leg, there are few who would write off Lyon. The difference between the first and second matches should be made by the return of Hegerberg to the starting XI. Lyon have failed to convert their chances on a number of occasions this season, which is a very un-Lyon-like problem that has yet to be fixed by the manager. The only certainty going into the tie is that if they are to continue their amazing run in the competition, they will need to be at their defensive best.
The last of the four ties to be played had plenty to live up to when it got underway in north London on Wednesday and, as a result, was probably the least exciting for those watching. It was not a bad match, but for large parts, it was two teams canceling each other out.
The two goals were the result of defenders allowing too much time and space in front of them to make their mark. For all their dominance over the past decade, Wolfsburg have been undergoing a personality change this season, moving to a more fluid and counterattacking unit, which kept them dangerous throughout the season.
The lack of bite in the attack will make it difficult for them to get a better return for their offensive efforts in Germany. The former winners have a better history in the competition and have a less taxing schedule ahead of the second leg. The current competition top goal scorer, Wassmuth, with her intelligent movement and nose for a goal, could be the difference maker, with five of her nine goals this season having come against English teams.
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