How Salma Paralluelo tilted the field in Barcelona's favour

Paralluelo's presence unlocked a stern Bayern Munich defence to lead Barcelona to their sixth consecutive Uefa Women's Champions League final

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Barcelona and Bayern Munich went head-to-head again to decide who faces OL Lyonnes in the final of the Uefa Women’s Champions League in Oslo. The tie was in perfect balance after the 1-1 draw in Germany, but two red cards left them without solid left-back Franziska Kett and manager Jose Barcala for the return leg - a decision that ultimately proved very decisive.

The Blaugranas emerged 4-2 winners on the night with two from Alexia Putellas and goals from Pajor and Salma Paralluelo. Linda Dallmann and Pernille Harder’s goals each side of the half weren’t enough for Bayern.

Without the defensive tenacity of Kett and direct influence of Barcala, Bayern’s all-so-similar plan from the first leg didn’t feel as effective. They had a similar shot total and touches in the box, but the quality of their chances increased, creating 3.25 expected goals (xG) compared to 1.48 in the first leg.

Caroline Graham Hansen, one of Barcelona’s main threats on the ball, enjoyed a much easier time creating chances from the right; she completed just one of her seven dribbles and lost eight of her 10 ground duels in the first leg. With less resistance and ample time, she put in 11 crosses and attacked the byline regularly in the second leg, picking up two assists.

Part of the reason for this also rests in Pere Romeu’s intelligent lineup changes. Paralluelo, who scored the opening goal of the game, replaced Claudia Pina on the left, changing the dynamics of their attack entirely. She added zest to Barcelona’s possession and offered another direct threat inside the box.

Let’s dive into how one lineup decision altered Barcelona’s attacking patterns and undid the stubborn Bayern defence.