Barcelona Women Set to Face St Polten in Women’s Champions League Clash

The Women’s Champions League is set to showcase an exciting match-up as St Polten Women prepare to host Barcelona Women at the Generali Arena in Vienna on Thursday evening. This Group D encounter highlights the contrasting fortunes of the two sides in this season’s competition.

Barcelona, the reigning European champions, are currently positioned second in their group, having secured six points from their first three games. The Catalan club has showcased formidable form, with a seven-game winning streak in all competitions, including dominant victories against group stage opponents Hammarby and St Polten Women.

St Polten Women, on the other hand, find themselves struggling at the bottom of the group standings. The Austrian champions have yet to win a match in the group stage, suffering three consecutive defeats with a combined scoreline of 12-2. Their recent heavy loss to Barcelona added to their challenges, while a spirited performance against Manchester City saw them narrowly defeated by 3-2 after initially leading the game. Their hopes of advancing to the quarter-finals hinge on an unlikely victory against the Spanish giants.

Barcelona’s recent triumphs include a convincing 4-0 victory over rivals Real Madrid, which saw player Claudia Pina contribute with two goals. Pina is expected to be a key figure again, having scored seven goals in her last seven matches. However, the team will be without some players due to injuries, yet manager Jonatan Giráldez may opt to field a similar lineup to their recent win against Madrid.

For St Polten, the spotlight will be on Melike Pekel, who aims to transfer her domestic scoring prowess to the European stage. The Turkish international has netted three goals in her last four league appearances and is a potential game-changer for the Austrian team.

Ahead of Thursday’s fixture, Barcelona appear to be firm favorites, given their recent form and the comprehensive victory over St Polten in their previous encounter. Espousing a wealth of talent and tactical discipline, the Catalans look to extend their winning streak further in the competition.