Twice a losing Women’s Champions League finalist, the Dane believes resilient Chelsea can clinch the crown: ‘No matter how the games are turning we know we can come back if we have a setback’
Pernille Harder will be hoping it is third time lucky when she steps on to the pitch at the Gamla Ullevi stadium in Gothenburg to play Barcelona in the Champions League final on Sunday evening. She knows exactly what it is like to lose. In 2018 she was agonisingly close to getting her hands on the trophy, scoring first in extra time for Wolfsburg before Alex Popp was sent off and the finely balanced game tipped in Lyon’s favour, the French champions scoring four to twist the knife well and truly.
In 2020 the teams and outcome were the same but they were less well matched and Lyon earned a 3-1 victory in normal time. It is testament to the influence and brilliance of Harder, though, that in both years, despite being on the losing side, the Danish forward was named European player of the year. Now with Chelsea, she will have another go, in a new set-up and against a different team.
