Criticism shaping Barca charge towards fourth Women's Champions League title

Struggling to fire on all cylinders under new coach Pere Romeu and falling to some surprise defeats, including a first ever loss against rivals Real Madrid, the knives were out in some quarters.

However, the Catalans used the criticism as fuel to catapult back to a sixth final in seven years, Caroline Graham Hansen told AFP this week at a round-table interview with international media.

"Of course we weren't good enough in those games, but I think the criticism from the outside was too big (compared to how) we were actually doing," said the Norwegian winger.

In October, Manchester City stunned Champions League holders Barcelona 2-0 in the group stage. The Catalans lost at home to Levante in February, a 2-1 defeat that brought a 46-game unbeaten streak in Liga F to a crashing halt.

It was Barcelona's first ever defeat at their Estadi Johan Cruyff, where they have played since 2019. The 3-1 loss to Clasico rivals Real Madrid at the bigger Olympic stadium in March was a second league defeat. The previous season they went through all 30 matches unbeaten.

"We lost to City in the group stage, the first game there, it gives you a lot of motivation to show that we can do better, we are a better team," continued Graham Hansen.

"Then we came back from that, but it's like it was hanging over us that a lot of people thought that our run to be good in the Champions League was a bit over.

"Yeah, that was a motivation to show that we still are good, we can still compete against the best and we will still do whatever it takes day by day to make our performance better, because at that moment it wasn't good enough.

"Everybody recognised that as individuals and as a team." Barcelona responded with a run of nine straight wins in the competition to surge into the final.

They demolished former giants Wolfsburg 10-2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals and then dismantled English domestic treble winners Chelsea in the semi-finals 8-2.

"We've been really good when it matters this year in the Champions League, so I hope we can continue that run we're on," said the 30-year-old Graham Hansen.

'Never easy'

If Barcelona win on Saturday in Lisbon, it would be their third consecutive Champions League trophy and their fourth in five years. In their way are Arsenal, who won the competition back in 2007, their lone final appearance.

Graham Hansen said she was not surprised that the Gunners beat record eight-time winners Lyon in the semi-finals. "I think everybody saw Lyon as a favourite but over two games they were the better team and I think they won deservedly," said Graham Hansen.

"They were maybe a bit of an underdog, but they have shown this year that they can really compete against the best... Finals are never easy, Arsenal are there to compete and we are there to compete.

"It's two strong teams that both want to win the big trophy." Barca fended off Real Madrid to claim a sixth straight league title, and hammered Las Blancas in the Spanish Super Cup final in January.

Two matches remain to complete their quadruple -- Arsenal on Saturday at the Jose Alvalade stadium, and then a Copa de la Reina final against Atletico Madrid in June.

Whether Barca add their fourth Champions League crown, Graham Hansen said she has already won far more than she bargained for when she joined from Wolfsburg in 2019.

"I was expecting to win one when I came to Barcelona because I knew the quality of the team," she said. "Three of them? It's been amazing. So, this, I would never have imagined would happen when I signed."