Serious things are starting for the women’s Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. After having largely dominated their group, most often with river scores and without conceding a goal, the Parisiennes begin the final phase of the European Cup on Tuesday 22 March. In the quarter-final first leg, they move, at 6:45 p.m., on the lawn of Bayern Munich, a tougher opponent than those faced in the group stage.
A first at the Allianz Arena
For the first time, the women’s section of Bayern Munich will play at the Allianz Arena, the 70,000-seat enclosure usually reserved for the men’s section. “We are very pleased with this important step in the rich history of more than 50 years of our women’s section”rejoiced the president Oliver Kahn, welcoming that the women’s team obtains “the scene she deserves”. In the return match, the Parisiennes will also host Bayern in the stadium where the men of PSG play, at the Parc des Princes.
Matchweek has arrived!
All on Tuesday and Wednesday’s quarter-final first legs.
Who you backing⁉️#UWCL | #MondayMotivation
— UEFA Women’s Champions League (@UWCL) March 21, 2022
This highlighting of the women’s sections is a general trend among the eight quarter-finalists since, apart from Real Madrid, all the clubs will play in the same stadiums as the men: Juventus Stadium for Juventus, Groupama Stadium for Lyon , the Emirates Stadium for Arsenal, the Volkswagen Arena for Wolfsburg and the Camp Nou for Barcelona.
Bayern winner of Lyon earlier in the season
Bayern Munich have already faced a French team in the Champions League this season. The Bavarian club was placed in the same group as Olympique Lyonnais and the confrontations between the two teams proved to be close. In the first leg, in Lyon, the Rhodaniennes won 2-1, but in the return match, in Munich, the Bavarians won 1-0.
The Parisiennes can therefore expect a close match. “It’s a very homogeneous team that has been playing together for three or four years now”noted Didier Ollé-Nicole at a press conference on the eve of the meeting. “They have a lot of automatisms together and I don’t see any weak points because they are a very complete team”, added the former defender before explaining his wish that PSG be inspired by this model of continuity.
Reunion for Amanda Ilestedt and Sara Däbritz
Two Parisians have evolved at Bayern Munich and will therefore return to Bavaria. Sweden’s Amanda Ilestedt arrived in the French capital last summer from Munich, where she won the Women’s Bundesliga. Put to rest on Friday, she should be aligned in central defense against her former teammates.
On the official PSG website, the Swede mentioned the disparities between the French and German championships: “It’s two different footballs (…) Here in France, there are some teams that are very strong, in the Bundesliga, the level is more balanced. But in D1, the level is more technical, faster, whereas in Germany it’s more physical .
In midfield, Sara Däbritz was also crowned German champion with Bayern before settling in Paris in 2019 and establishing herself as a part of the Parisian midfield. On the Bavarian side, the former Parisian Hanna Glas could be aligned against the players of the capital that she rubbed shoulders with from 2018 to 2020.
A goal since the start of the season
Led by three points by the Lyonnaises in the league, before their direct confrontation at the end of May, the Parisiennes still want to lift a major trophy. And if the conquest of the national title was complicated with the heavy defeat conceded in the first leg against OL, the players of the capital are aiming for the Champions League.
️ Didier Ollé-Nicolle: “It’s an important moment for the club. It’s a goal for the start of the season.” #FCBPSG pic.twitter.com/NkyIC0Zgvl
— PSG Women (@PSG_Women) March 21, 2022
The Parisiennes are playing their fourth consecutive quarter-final in the European Cup and are once again eyeing the semi-finals. Stadium at which the Parisiennes have failed in the last two editions. “The interesting and terrible part comes from the quarter-finals in this competition. We know that only the big teams are left”launched the coach.
“Our goal is to win the Champions League”, Sakina Karchaoui said at the same press conference. First stage of this mission, Tuesday in Munich.