The 2020-21 edition of the Women’s Champions League is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent tournament history.
Different teams (such as Lyon, Chelsea and Barcelona) have enjoyed success cycles in their respective countries and are now concentrating their efforts on the top women’s football competition in Europe.
This season will be the last before UEFA makes several changes to the tournament structure (including the much-requested introduction of group stages) and with the Olympic Games in the not-so-distant future (if the COVID-19 pandemic permits). 19), clubs and their squads are rushing to make a good impression.
Next, we present a review of the clashes to qualify for the Round of 16 with a view to the first matches to be played on March 3.
Favorites
It is impossible to answer this question without first seeing Lyon. The French won their fifth consecutive title in 2020 and have not stopped participating in a Final since 2010, however, Paris Saint-Germain ended their streak of 80 victories last November, therefore, it is possible to beat them.
For their part, Chelsea and Manchester City aspire to become the second English team to win the Women’s Champions League (UWCL).
Emma Hayes is highly regarded in England for her talents as a manager, but Chelsea’s away record leaves much to be desired. In the case of City, Gareth Taylor’s squad has two UWCL winners in 2019-20, backs Lucy Bronze and Alex Greenwood. The Cityzens hope that this experience will give them an extra boost in this key phase.
VfL Wolfsburg make a regular appearance in the Final, however, after confronting some problems in their national league (they are in unfamiliar territory, ranking second behind Bayern and in danger of ending their cycle of four consecutive titles in the Frauen-Bundesliga), they probably won’t have the power to go far this year.
Players to consider
Between established talents and exciting young promises, there is no shortage of players to stay in the tournament. Footballers such as Lyon stars Dzenifer Marozsan, Wendie Renard and Amandine Henry are all established professionals on the UWCL circuit. Marie-Antoinette Katoto, PSG striker, has ignited the French Division One Feminine with her goals, as has Ludmila, Atlético de Madrid forward, in the Primera Iberdrola. Likewise, Lea Schüller continues to make a positive impression with Bayern Munich and the German national team.
When it comes to defense, we can’t lose sight of Wolfsburg’s 19-year-old Lena Oberdorf, who can also occasionally appear and score goals.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3
Barcelona vs. Fortuna Hjorring
The Catalan team is enjoying a remarkable run in the Primera Iberdrola with a win in the 17 games played so far this season with just three goals against.
The squad led by Lluis Cortés also has a solid record in the UWCL, having qualified for the Semifinals in 2019-20 and advancing beyond the Round of 16 in the five most recent editions of the tournament. With the presence of players like the extreme Caroline Graham Hansen and the artillery Jennifer Hermoso, the Catalans will be the great favorites to beat Fortuna Hjorring, who was eliminated at this same stage last year against Lyon, eventual winner of the competition.
Hjorring is currently third in Denmark’s Elitedivisionen, although they are barely separated by one unit from the top two.
Manchester City vs. Fiorentina
City were eliminated by Atlético de Madrid at this same stage last season and Taylor is optimistic that his roster will go further this year.
After experiencing a turbulent start to the season, City are maintaining a brilliant level that has left them just two points behind Chelsea in the FA Women’s Super League. With Lucy Bronze and Alex Greenwood, winners of the UWCL in its 2019-20 edition, as well as the announcement of the return of US midfielder Sam Mewis and who scored a double last weekend after recovering from injury, the Cityzens should overcome the challenge posed by Fiorentina, however, the Italians will not be intimidated and have on their payroll some familiar faces that went through the Women’s Super League, such as former City player Tessel Middag and Louise Quinn, who was a defender of the Arsenal.
Fiorentina have only lost one match in 2021, but have never managed to advance beyond this phase in the Women’s Champions League.
Rosengard vs. St. Polten
The UWCL has not had a Swedish team in the Quarterfinals since the 2017-18 season and Rosengard aims to break that trend. The Damallsvenskan (Swedish professional women’s football league) had always had a representative among the last eight, but Rosengard will have to limit themselves to traveling with only 15 eligible players to play this match, after a change in the UEFA rules made some of its footballers ineligible to compete, a situation classified as “a disaster” by the club’s sports director Therese Sjögran
Also, they will not have in their ranks the Swedish gunner Anna Anvegard.
Swedish champions St. Polten qualified for the first time in their history to the Round of 16 after keeping a clean sheet against Zürich. They are currently 13 rungs below Rosengard in the UEFA club rankings and consequently and despite the problems faced by the Swedish squad in completing their call-up, they should surpass the Austrians.
Wolfsburg vs. LSK Kinner
Last year’s runner-up Wolfsburg have run out of UWCL aspirations thanks to Lyon in each and every one of the last five seasons and after losing tournament player Pernille Harder, who signed for Chelsea, they will have to leave. to demonstrate that they remain a dominant force in the competition.
Although they have struggled in the current local tournament (five points behind Bayern Munich in the women’s Bundesliga and another defeat could secure the title for their rivals), Die Wölfinnen remains a roster full of talent, especially with figures like the young German defender Obendorf.
This meeting brings additional pressure for LSV Kvinner, who will not be able to secure their participation in next year’s UWCL without passing this phase, having finished fifth in the Norwegian Toppserien. Additionally, they will collide with a familiar face: midfielder Ingrid Syrstad Engen, who wears the Wolfsburg jersey this season after her stint at LSK.
DT Knut Slatleim admitted that they are the “least favored”, although he hopes that the round-trip format of this phase works in his favor.
Chelsea vs. Atlético de Madrid
Chelsea broke their incredible 33-game undefeated cycle by losing to Brighton & Hove Albiom on February 7, yet the Blues have returned to winning ways after suffering that shocking defeat in the Women’s Super League.
Technical director Emma Hayes’ squad did not qualify for the tournament in 2019-20 and the coach will go out to show her best level, considering that the UWCL has been an extremely elusive trophy for her, despite having advanced to the Semifinals in 2018- 19 and 2019-20, but in the last year, they added Harder, player of the tournament in 2019-20, to a squad already full of figures. His experience in last year’s final, when he wore the Wolfsburg jersey, will be invaluable.
In front of them is Atleti, one of the most difficult teams that could touch them in the draw. Las Colchoneras reached the Quarterfinals last year and lost to their Spanish rivals Barcelona. In addition, the rojiblancas eliminated Manchester City in the last two seasons, so it will be difficult for Chelsea to try to neutralize the Brazilian Ludmila and the Venezuelan Deyna Castellanos, a key duo in Atlético’s attack.
This has been a difficult campaign for the Spanish football giants. Although they occupy third place in the Primera Iberdrola table, they are 13 points below Barça, which has played three fewer games.
THURSDAY, MARCH 4
BIIK-Kazygurt vs. Bayern Munich
For the second year in a row, Bayern Munich will face BIIK in the Round of 16. Last year, the German team qualified for the quarterfinals after winning 7-0 on aggregate and it is expected that this year they will again overcome the challenge posed by the Kazakhstan club.
Bayern are five units ahead of Wolfsburg to occupy the top of the Frauen-Bundesliga table, although they will travel without the presence of the German internationals Lina Magull and Marina Hegering, both casualties due to muscle injuries.
The BIIK, who have not played a competitive match since their victory at Karkiv in the round of December 32, are preparing for this commitment as champions of the Kazakhstan tournament in 2020, but Bayern are expected to prevail comfortably in this crossroads. .
Lyon vs. Brondby
Lyon are looking to defend their title for the sixth year in a row and to do so they must beat Brondby, who is participating in their 18th UWCL to equal the all-time record for appearances in the competition. Lyon are one of the most notable teams in women’s football, so beating them is no small task for the modest Danish squad.
The French team should advance to the next stage without major inconvenience. Catarina Macario will be the object of interest. The midfielder joined Lyon shortly after reporting for the United States team and left the SheBelieves Cup prematurely to return to France.
Lyon are not without weaknesses, considering that PSG put an end to their 80-win streak on 20 November. Despite this, with so many talented players to call up, the French will not be easily dispatched. It will be a fight between David and Goliath with a Brondby who is second in the Danish Super League.
TUESDAY, MARCH 9
Paris Saint-Germain Sparta Prague
Everything indicates that this will be a campaign full of emotions for PSG, the semifinalist of the previous edition and currently occupying the leadership of the Division One Feminine after beating Lyon.
Coach Jean-Luc Vasseur’s squad has dominated at home and abroad, but PSG have exposed some weaknesses. Canadians Jordyn Huitema and Ashley Lawrence did not travel to play the SheBelieves Cup, which means that they will both be rested and in good shape for the UWCL. Katoto has 17 league goals and coach Olivier Echouafni hopes the forward will partner with Kadidiatou Diani, the leader in assists, to win against Sparta Prague.
While it is true that Martin Masaryk’s squad managed to beat Glasgow City, the semifinalist of the previous tournament, to qualify for the Round of 16, PSG represents a totally different challenge for the Scottish club.
After finishing last season in second place in the first division tournament in the Czech Republic and being current league leaders, the squad made up entirely of Czech players will try to harness their physical power to overcome their rival, but PSG is the team that should classify at this junction.
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