Dutch international Dominique Janssen is looking forward to playing in front of a home crowd against Barcelona on Saturday.
Janssen grew up in the town of Horst aan de Maas on the outskirts of Eindhoven, and she is relishing the prospect of playing in a ground she cherished as a youngster.
“This game is pretty special. I remember the first professional game that I went to watch was at the Phillips Stadion, so it’s pretty special to be playing here.
“It’s also close to all my family, so they are going to come and watch the game, so it is maybe the most important game of my career.”
Janssen moved to the German side from Arsenal in 2019, and she reached the Champions League final in her first season at the club.
They would go on to lose 3-1 to Lyon in San Sebastian, but it’s a memory Janssen hardly remembers and is hoping to put the cherry on top of a good season against the Spanish champions.
“I actually forgot about the loss in San Sebastian, but I’m really looking forward to this final. The journey has been amazing, and hopefully tomorrow we can celebrate.”
Wolfsburg possess three Dutch internationals in their squad: Janssen, Jill Roord, and Lynn Wilms.
Some would say that most of the sell-out crowd would come out in support of their compatriots.
Janssen isn’t so sure about that prospect but is hoping to put on a spectacle for the 34,000 strong crowd.
“I think that, generally speaking, Barcelona are a really big club in the Netherlands. A lot of Dutch players used to play there.
“So, it will be difficult if people will come out and root for Barcelona over Wolfsburg!
“However, I hope that because we have three Dutch players and that we’re all part of the national team that a lot of people will be screaming loudly for us in green.
“I hope a lot of Dutch people do come out for the game and I’m sure it will be a great game for women’s football.”
A Decade at the Top
In 2013, Wolfsburg clinched their maiden Champions League title at Stamford Bridge, with a 1-0 win over Lyon.
Veteran forward Alexandra Popp was a part of that squad, and she is proud of how Wolfsburg have consistently competed at Europe’s top table for a decade.
“I’m very happy and proud that Wolfsburg has managed to develop women’s football and we are still at the top.
“We were always at least in the semi-finals, sometimes in the quarterfinals, but we always got quite far and were in the top four in Europe.
“It shows how hard the club works to put together a great squad every season. It also shows how hard the coaches have worked with us.
“In 2013, we just played long balls forward and I ran onto them! Now we play football and we have developed, which is really nice to see.
“It’s a very important sign for too for German football, that Wolfsburg over the last ten years has been at the top. I’m very proud to have seen and witnessed this.”
Barcelona Test
For all of Wolfsburg’s success, they face a daunting task of trying to break down a Barcelona team who are playing at peak of their powers.
Janssen says they have a plan to deal with them, but now they can’t slip up at any point in the match.
“Barcelona are a good team. Tactically and technically, they are great, so it’s going to be a difficult game.
“I know we have a good plan and that we’re ready for the game, but we need to be 100% focused.”
There is some added spice going into this game.
In the build-up, Jill Roord expressed her love for Barcelona and said that it would be her dream to play for the Blaugrana one day.
When this was put to the She-wolves manager Tommy Stroot, he was very blunt and clear in his answer.
“It’s nothing new for us. I’ve known her for a long time, and she’s already told me that while we were at FC Twente.
“Barcelona have a problem on their hands because she plays for us, not them.”