Athletic and Barcelona kick off their Women's Champions League campaigns

Wednesday 05/10/2016

19:30 CET Athletic Club - Fortuna Hjørring

"Hey! We're going back to San Mames, but this time it's to play in the Champions League," reads Nekane Diez's Twitter account. She wrote that on Monday, two days before Athletic's return to Champions League football. There is no shortage of enthusiasm; not from the players, the city or the club. Their first Champions League match in nine years will be played at San Mames. Last season was a glorious one in which they proclaimed themselves champions of the Liga Iberdrola and qualified for the elite European competition. Standing in their way in the first leg of the round of 32 are Fortuna Hjørring. Thisis the Danish outfit's seventh Champions League campaign and they finished as runners-up in 2003. Meanwhile, Athletic are making their first appearance in the tournament since the new format was introduced in 2009/10. Rojiblancas manager Joseba Agirre has his full squad available for their opening clash.

 

Thursday 06/10/2016

15:00 CET Minsk - FC Barcelona

Andressa Alves, Line Røddik, Alexia Putellas, Jenni Hermoso… The list of top-class players goes on and on. Barcelona finished second in the Liga Iberdrola last term and are looking to make their mark in Europe this season. During last year's edition their dreams were crushed in the quarter-finals by Paris Saint-Germain. That was the best run in the tournament by Xavi Lloren's ladies, and he has his full squad available for this game. Their opponents in the first round are Minsk, with the first leg being played in Belarus. They were knocked out by Athletic's opponents, Fortuna, last year in what was also their best run in the competition.