Manchester City Faces Champion Barcelona in Women’s Champions League Opener

Manchester City‘s women’s team, under the leadership of head coach Gareth Taylor and captain Alex Greenwood, is set to face what many consider the most formidable opponent in women’s football: Barcelona. This match marks City’s debut in the UEFA Women’s Champions League group stages.

Barcelona enters the match as reigning European champions, having won the last two Women’s Champions League titles. Known for their dominance, the Catalan team features previous Ballon d’Or winners and boasts an impressive domestic record of five goals per game, alongside a streak of 18 consecutive victories in Spain’s top league.

Reflecting on their upcoming challenge, Taylor remarked, “We want to see the best players on the best stage and I think this is what it is. They’re the best team in the world, certainly over the last four or five years.” City, however, are not daunted by the challenge. Taylor sees it as “a really good opportunity for us to see where we are.”

Barcelona’s formidable squad includes Kiera Walsh, who led the Champions League with 744 completed passes last term, and Ewa Pajor, leading Spain’s top-flight scoring with six goals since joining from Wolfsburg.

City’s roster has undergone significant changes since their last European appearance in 2021, with only Greenwood and Chloe Kelly remaining from that lineup. They earned their place in this year’s competition following an 8-0 aggregate victory over Paris FC.

“As a team we’re excited to test ourselves against the best,” said Greenwood. “They’re the champions for a reason and we’ll massively respect Barcelona tomorrow but we’ll try and impose ourselves on them.”

City is grouped with Barcelona, Sweden’s Hammarby, and Austria’s St Polten in Group D, facing Barcelona’s fearsome lineup first. A victory against the Spanish champions would bolster City’s position for the knockout rounds, although Barcelona’s current form suggests a tough contest.