A historic night in Badalona to keep dreaming big

Badalona"We'll dream big until it's no longer possible." Banini's words in the pre-match press conference in Badalona will resonate even more strongly in the Badalona dressing room next week. Marc Ballester's team secured a draw against Barça after a defensive masterclass (0-0), and the Copa de la Reina semifinals will be decided next Wednesday, the 18th, at the Johan Cruyff Stadium (9 pm).

With the enthusiasm of a little girl dreaming of playing professional football, the Badalona Women players took to the field for the first leg of the Copa de la Reina semifinals. For the first time in their history, the Badalona club – which until two years ago was Levante Les Planes – has reached this stage of the competition. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Marc Ballester's team went toe-to-toe with Barça in front of a packed Municipal Stadium.

The first few minutes were spent adapting to the artificial turf. The ball moved more slowly and bounced a bit, making passing difficult, as was the case with María Valenzuela, whose shot was almost capitalized on by Ewa Pajor after a poor clearance from the home goalkeeper. Pina, Alexia, and Patri all tried their luck with shots, but Valenzuela was able to stop them.

Badalona, ​​for their part, were well-positioned defensively, minimizing space and trying to exploit long passes for Uribe's runs. Uribe gave his all, and the crowd recognized his effort with applause every time his team approached the opposing penalty area. Pere Romeu attempted to change the course of the match with a VAR review for a possible handball by Badalona, ​​but the referee did not award a penalty after reviewing the footage.

Barça posed little threat against a Badalona side that defended flawlessly for the full 90 minutes. Salma Paralluelo almost capitalized on the only mistake Marc Ballester's team made in possession, but Valenzuela was once again crucial in preventing Barça's first goal. At the other end of the pitch, Itzi could have made it 1-0 after heading in a cross from Chamorro. Badalona also tried to appeal via VAR for a possible foul, which the referee also failed to flag. With no goals at the Municipal Stadium, the match at the Johan Cruyff Stadium will decide next Wednesday which team will travel to Gran Canaria on May 16th to play in the Copa de la Reina final.