Barcelona are chasing their second straight Champions League title at Juventus Stadium in Turin tonight. However, Fridolina Rolfö joined the club before this season, and has still never won the tournament.
Tonight she gets the chance, and the 28-year-old plays from the start in tonight’s final against most champions Lyon, who have won a total of seven Champions League titles.
Rolfö starts as a left-back, something she was forced to get used to during her first year in Barcelona. For a player like Rolfö, it is an above position, but Barcelona’s extremely offensive style of play means that even the full-backs mostly play attacking football.
“Almost like a forward”
Rolfö has previously said that it was coach Jonatan Giráldez who saw the left-back potential in his Swedish new acquisition.
– It was really him who wanted to test me in a left back position after seeing my qualities. And I learn a lot there and can take a lot with me in my offensive game, what it’s like to play against a fullback. Then I am very offensive in that position, we have a lot of ball and I can be almost like a forward, Rolfö has previously told TT.
Lyon also has a Swedish player in their match squad, but goalkeeper Emma Holmgren will not get any playing time if nothing unexpected happens. Holmgren has had to stand in the shadow of star goalkeeper Christiane Endler all season, and so also tonight.
Here are the elves
The final starts at 19. This is how the teams line up:
Barcelona (4–3–3): Sandra Paños – Marta Torrejón, Irene Paredes, Mapi León, Fridolina Rolfö – Aitana Bonmatí, Patricia Guijarro, Alexia Putellas – Caroline Graham Hansen, Jennifer Hermoso, Mariona Caldentey.
Lyon (4–3–3): Christiane Endler – Ellie Carpenter, Wendie Renard, Griedge Mbock Bathy, Selma Bacha – Lindsey Horan, Amandine Henry, Catarina Macario – Delphine Cascarino, Ada Hegerberg, Melvine Malard.