Indonesia
South Africa

Six key players who could decide the Women's Champions League final

sportsmole.co.uk, 14 May 2021, 07:45
Chelsea face Barcelona in Gothenburg on Sunday in the Women's Champions League final.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the key players for either side ahead of the showdown at Gamla Ullevi.

Sam Kerr

The Australia forward arrived at Chelsea during the 2019-20 season having scored a glut of goals in her homeland and the United States, and has gone on to amply demonstrate her potency for the Blues this term. Kerr claimed the Women's Super League Golden Boot after netting 21 times in 22 appearances for Emma Hayes' title-winners, notched a hat-trick in the 6-0 League Cup final victory over Bristol City and has contributed three goals to this Champions League run.

Fran Kirby

While Kerr has certainly impressed, playmaker Kirby has arguably been even better for Chelsea this term. Her WSL record for 2020-21 shows 16 goals plus 11 assists - Kerr produced seven - and with six goals in the Champions League campaign, the England playmaker is the competition's joint leading scorer for this season. Kerr, Kirby and Denmark star Pernille Harder make for a formidable attacking trio.

Magda Eriksson

Chelsea captain Magda Eriksson and fellow centre-back Millie Bright are set to try to thwart the Barcelona attack as Hayes' side take on an outfit who have scored 128 goals in 26 Spanish top-flight games this term. It will be a particularly big occasion for Eriksson, taking place in her native Sweden - left-back Jonna Andersson and goalkeeper Zecira Musovic are compatriots in the squad.

Mapi Leon

There may be considerable emphasis on Leon in Barcelona's bid to keep Kerr, Kirby, Harder and co at bay, with her central defensive partner Andrea Pereira suspended for this match.

Jennifer Hermoso

Hermoso is the record goalscorer for the Spain Women national team and the player level with Kirby at the top of the scoring charts for this season's Champions League. That included an effort in Barca's 3-0 quarter-final first-leg win over Chelsea's WSL rivals Manchester City.

Asisat Oshoala

Nigeria and former Liverpool and Arsenal forward Oshoala caused significant problems for City as she scored in both legs of the last-eight tie. She started each of those games before Barca boss Lluis Cortes opted to have Hermoso start and use Oshoala as a substitute in the two semi-final legs against Paris St Germain. Other attacking threats in the Barca ranks include Norway's Caroline Graham Hansen and Holland's Lieke Martens.

Top News

5 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Juventus are reportedly lining up a move for Manchester United defender Tyrell Malacia. 5 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool's Premier League clash with bitter rivals Manchester United, scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Anfield, could allegedly be cancelled due to bad weather, with snow falling overnight in the Liverpool area. 5 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk The transfer window is open! Clubs around the UK and Europe have one final chance to strengthen their squads for the second half of the season. 5 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Ourense CF vs. Valladolid (Sunday, 11.00am) La Liga's basement side Real Valladolid will be bidding to book their spot in the last-16 stage of the Copa del Rey when they head to third-tier outfit Ourense CF on Sunday. 5 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Kasimpasa vs. Gaziantep (Sunday, 10.30am) Kasimpasa will look to add more wins to their current unbeaten run when they host Gaziantep at Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadyumu on Sunday. 5 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Santa Clara vs. Farense (Sunday, 3.30pm) High-flying Santa Clara welcome relegation-threatened SC Farense in gameweek 17 of the 2024-25 Primeira Liga season on Sunday at the Estadio de Sao Miguel. 5 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Monza vs. Cagliari (Sunday, 11.30am) After both ended 2024 with four straight Serie A defeats, relegation rivals Monza and Cagliari will vie for victory in their year-opening fixture on Sunday. 5 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Lens vs. Toulouse (Sunday, 2.00pm) Two sides in the hunt for a place in Europe next season resume their Ligue 1 campaigns on Sunday as Lens host Toulouse at Stade Bollaert-Delelis. 5 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Hibernian vs. Rangers (Sunday, 12.00pm) Rangers will aim to build on their superb 3-0 victory in the Old Firm Derby as they head to Easter Road Stadium on Sunday to face an in-form Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership. 5 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have agreed to recall Stefan Bajcetic from his loan at Red Bull Salzburg and send him back out in January, with Real Betis heavily linked to the midfielder. 5 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Queens Park Rangers will look to claim a second straight victory when they welcome Luton Town to Loftus Road for Monday's Championship clash. 4 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool's pursuit of left-back Julio Soler appears to have ended in failure, with Bournemouth reportedly in advanced talks with Argentine club Lanus for his signature this winter. 4 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have reportedly tabled an enormous £78m contract to Trent Alexander-Arnold in an attempt to stop the defender joining Real Madrid for free in the summer. 4 January 2025 talksport.com Matheus Cunha is set to sign a new long-term contract at Wolves, talkSPORT understands. 4 January 2025 talksport.com Tottenham and Newcastle kicked off a thrilling day of Premier League action, but Brentford and Bournemouth did their best to steal the headlines. 4 January 2025 talksport.com Arsenal are facing another injury scare after Ethan Nwaneri was brought off at half-time against Brighton. 4 January 2025 talksport.com Arsenal were pegged back in their quest to catch up with Premier League leaders Liverpool following a 1-1 draw at Brighton. 4 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that he was forced to bring Ethan Nwaneri off at half time in their 1-1 Premier League draw with Brighton & Hove Albion due to injury. 4 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool could make a statement to the rest of the Premier League should they heavily beat Ruben Amorim's deflated Manchester United side, according to Reds experts David Lynch. 4 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona eased their way into the last-16 stage of the Copa del Rey on Saturday evening courtesy of a 4-0 success over fourth-tier outfit Barbastro at Estadio Municipal de Deportes de Barbastro. 4 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal missed the chance to move to within three points of Premier League leaders Liverpool as a spirited Brighton & Hove Albion held them to a 1-1 draw at the Amex Stadium. 4 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City defender Issa Kabore is reportedly on the verge of joining a Bundesliga club on loan for the rest of the season. 4 January 2025 talksport.com Ethan Nwaneri has joined an exclusive club with his latest Arsenal goal. 4 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Pep Guardiola has set a new Premier League managerial record after his Manchester City side battled to a 4-1 win over West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. 4 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal phenom Ethan Nwaneri has written a new page of Gunners history thanks to his opening goal in the Gunners' Premier League clash with Brighton & Hove Albion. 4 January 2025 talksport.com Liverpool are set to recall Stefan Bajcetic from his loan at Red Bull Salzburg. 4 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have reportedly suffered a setback in their attempts to sign Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain, who could instead be part of a sensational swap deal with an Aston Villa striker. 4 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Brighton & Hove Albion have reportedly made a £23m offer for Palmeiras defender Vitor Reis, with the Seagulls looking to beat a number of major clubs to the teenager's signature. 4 January 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are reportedly running the rule over teenage Sheffield United striker Ryan One amid continued uncertainty over the future of Darwin Nunez. 4 January 2025 talksport.com Mikel Arteta has explained why Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli are not in his Arsenal starting XI against Brighton.