Introduction
DF: You’re listening to the Learn English Through Football Podcast. Hi everybody this is Damian from the languagecaster team and I hope you are all doing well. Now this short podcast today is going to be looking ahead to the 2020 Women’s Champions League
The 2020 Women’s Champions League quarter finals take place this weekend in the north of Spain when the eight teams from six different countries play off to see which team can win the 19th version of the biggest club game in women’s world football. Similar to the men’s tournament this year, the quarter finals, semi-finals and final will all take place in one country – Spain – and will only have one leg matches meaning there are no home and away legs. Let’s take a look at the favourites,
the dark horses and the
minnows of this year’s tournament while we also add a prediction or two at the end!
Stinger: You are listening to
languagecaster.com (in French)
Favourites
Lyon are the current
holders, have the most Champions League wins with six victories and are most people’s favourites to lift the trophy again this year. Their side includes international captains from France (Renard), Germany (Marozsán) and Japan (Kumagai), as well as England’s best player Lucy Bronze and this means that even though Norway superstar Ada Hegerberg is out injured, the French side are huge favourites to lift their fifth Champions League trophy in a row.
Can anyone stop the French team? Perhaps the only team that might challenge Lyon are German side, Wolfsburg who have won two European titles with the last of these coming in 2014. They have also just completed
a double at home in Germany and start the tournament against the unfancied Glasgow City so should have an easy passage to the semi-final. They also have one of the best players in the world in their side in Danish international Pernille Harder.
Dark Horses
Barcelona
were crowned Spanish champions this season after an amazing run at the start of the season. They will face their compatriots Atlético Madrid in the quarter-finals and will fancy their chances against a side whose preparations have been hit by Coronavirus with five players recently having to quarantine. Their star player, Jenni Hermoso, usually plays as
a false nine and with 23 goals this season is the team’s top scorer. They should beat Atlético, despite their
opponents having knocked out Manchester City, and then will face Wolfsburg in the semi-finals – maybe an easier route to the final?
In the other half of the draw both Arsenal and PSG
will fancy their chances of progressing to the semi-final when they face off at Real Sociedad’s stadium, Anoeta. Arsenal have won a European title way back in 2007 but will find it difficult
to overcome an
in-form PSG team who drew against Lyon in the French Cup final recently and of course include 42-year old player, Brazilian midfield legend Formiga in their side
Minnows
Glasgow City have won the Scottish league title for the past 13 seasons but as they are the only semi-professional team left in the competition – and they