Women's Champions League tactical analysis: Transitions decisive as Wolfsburg beat Juventus
Friday, February 20, 2026
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UEFA Technical Observer Jayne Ludlow highlights Wolfsburg’s use of transitional moments to exploit Juventus’ temporary imbalances and secure qualification for the quarter-finals.
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Wolfsburg are through to the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-finals after an impressive 2-0 win in Turin, but how did they do it?
In the return leg of their knockout phase play-off tie, Juventus came close on several occasions and even struck the crossbar, but it proved insufficient. Wolfsburg withstood the Bianconere’s pressure, scored the opener, added a last-minute second, and kept a clean sheet.
UEFA Technical Observer Jayne Ludlow underlines the importance of effective transitions and midfield control in the She-Wolves triumph.
Wolfsburg coach Stephan Lerch told UEFA after the match that controlling midfield had been central to the game plan: "We experienced two very different games [in one tonight]. In the first part, we controlled the match well, in the second, we had to defend and give everything on the pitch with great passion."
Both goals arrived in transitional moments and ultimately proved decisive in the tie. The first came as Wolfsburg transitioned rapidly from regain to attack, using quick combinations and switches of play to move from congested areas into open space, with coordinated forward runs stretching the centre-backs and creating space for the winger to attack and score.
Later, with Juventus pushing forward, Wolfsburg exploited the open spaces immediately after another regain, attacking vertically at speed and finishing first time to seal the result.
Ludlow highlights that what stood out most in these goals was "the clarity of positional roles and how each player understands their function, especially the No9 Lineth Beerensteyn stretching the defence throughout the game and the winger/No10 Svenja Huth showing strong awareness of the spaces to exploit."
She also emphasises, "the quality of passing and, in particular, the timing of movements," which allowed the attacks to develop with cohesion and purpose.
Ludlow further notes that a successful transition, one capable of fully exploiting opposition imbalance, relies on "speed, accuracy and connection," with "multiple players moving in sync with clear roles and responsibilities," ensuring the attacking action functions collectively rather than through isolated individual moments.
Coaching observation: Training for transitions
In terms of training design, Ludlow stresses that "session realism is key to creating true speed of play," meaning practices should include opponents and realistic pressures.
As such, she suggests "creating opportunities for advanced players to reproduce movements that stretch the defence, supported by quick supporting runs and shot opportunities as the outcome of each phase."
"A small-sided game played in thirds is a good idea, focusing on turnovers in the middle and defensive thirds with time restrictions to encourage fast chance creation.
"Limited-touch decisions before the pass help maintain tempo, while accurate, well-paced passing should be driven by teammate movement and clear intention, alongside pass restrictions for the in-possession team to increase turnovers and generate more transition moments for counterattacking repetitions."
Jayne Ludlow is a Welsh former professional footballer and coach best known for her long and successful career with Arsenal, where she captained the team to multiple domestic titles and the 2007 UEFA Women’s Cup. A talented midfielder and Wales international, she later became head coach of the Wales women’s national team (2014–2021).
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