Champions League
“Hurts brutally”: Popp deeply disappointed after elimination against Paris
The Wolves around Alexandra Popp (2nd from right) missed the group stage of the Champions League. photo
© Hendrik Schmidt/dpa/archive image
After the 0-2 loss against Paris FC, the sadness among the VfL Wolfsburg footballers is great. In addition to the missed opportunity to win the Champions League, the club is also missing out on significant bonuses.
When the unthinkable became clear, the eloquent Alexandra Popp first had to search for the right words. “That hurts brutally,” said the visibly shocked Wolfsburg captain after the early exit Champions League on club TV.
“We were in the final last season – and suddenly you’re not in the group stage.” After the 0:2 (0:1) against Paris FC on Tuesday evening, the dream of reaching the final of the premier class was shattered – unexpectedly early, but also somewhat deserved.
No goal threat developed
“We didn’t really manage to become a goal threat,” the 32-year-old striker explained why the 2013 and 2014 Champions League winners failed to get the much-needed result after the 3-3 draw in the first leg of the second round a week ago to get a home win. Looking at the games of the season so far, “perhaps it’s not enough,” said Popp, and “perhaps in the end it’s not undeserved.”
VfL defender Dominique Janssen, who missed a penalty when the score was 0-1, struggled for composure like Popp: “It’s difficult to put it into words.” The Wolfsburg women actually wanted to make another attempt at the European football crown after the 3-2 final defeat against FC Barcelona in May.
“You come to Wolfsburg to win big titles and play big games, also to play big competitions. The fact that you couldn’t do that this year just hurts incredibly,” Janssen complained. Coach Tommy Stroot summed up with a blank look: “A bitter defeat that we have to accept.”
Important funds are missing
By being eliminated in front of 3,747 spectators in the AOK Stadium, VfL not only missed out on the entry fee of 400,000 euros. Other bonuses will also be missing from the coffers: the Wolfsburg team pocketed around 1.1 million euros in the last European Cup season. There was 50,000 euros per win, plus additional extra money for reaching the quarter and semi-finals and 200,000 euros for losing the final.
The draw on Friday will probably hurt the VfL players again, as will the opening games on November 14th and 15th. From a German perspective, only champions FC Bayern and Eintracht Frankfurt are represented. The Hessians had mastered their task in the second round with two clear victories against AC Sparta Prague (5:0 and 3:0).