On Wednesday, Manchester City Women face a tough test as they kick off their UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage campaign against reigning European champions Barcelona Women. With Barcelona, Hammarby, and St. Pölten in their group, City will battle over the next six matchdays for a coveted spot in the quarter-finals.
Match Preview
Manchester City Women are making their first group-stage appearance in the Women’s Champions League after two consecutive seasons of falling short in qualifying. This time, the Women’s Super League (WSL) club had little trouble in the qualifiers, dispatching French side Paris FC with a commanding 8-0 aggregate victory. City won 5-0 in France and followed it up with a 3-0 win at home, ensuring a perfect start to their 2024-25 season.
Domestically, Man City has also started strong. After a 2-2 draw against Arsenal in the WSL, they secured back-to-back home wins over Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United, moving to the top of the WSL standings. City now turn their attention to European competition, returning to the main draw of the Women’s Champions League for the first time since their 4-2 defeat to Barcelona in the 2020-21 quarter-finals when the tournament followed a straight knockout format.
Facing Barcelona again, City know the challenge ahead. However, they can draw confidence from their flawless home form this season, having won all three competitive matches at home without conceding a goal.
Barcelona, meanwhile, enter the competition as the dominant force in European women’s football, having won the Women’s Champions League in three of the last four seasons. In May, they triumphed 2-0 in the final against record-holders Lyon, with goals from Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas.
This season marks the start of a new era for Barcelona under the leadership of Pere Romeu, who took over after Jonatan Giraldez’s departure. Romeu has enjoyed a perfect start, guiding his team to five consecutive victories in Liga F. Their recent domestic form has been particularly impressive, with a 10-1 thrashing of Granada followed by an 8-1 comeback win over Madrid CFF, where they scored eight second-half goals.
As Barcelona look to extend their unbeaten run in Women’s Champions League away games to nine matches, they will aim to continue their high-scoring ways in Manchester.
Predictions
Barcelona, with their firepower and European pedigree, come into the game as favorites, but Manchester City’s home form and defensive solidity this season could make it a closer contest than expected.
Prediction: Manchester City Women 1-3 Barcelona Women
