Women's Champions League: Players to watch on Matchday 5
Monday, December 9, 2024
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We look at four players looking to star on Wednesday and Thursday.
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The UEFA Women's Champions League group stage continues on Wednesday and Thursday with Matchday 5.
We look at four players with key roles for their teams.
Jonna Andersson (Hammarby)
For Hammarby to beat Barcelona by the nine-goal margin the Swedish side need to stay in quarter-final contention will prove a challenge, but they will certainly want a good performance against the holders in what looks like being another 20,000-plus crowd in Stockholm. Defender Andersson will also be keen to improve in her last home game before a 2025 return to first club Linköping.
Having played a big part in helping Hammarby to their 2023 domestic double and now Women's Champions League group stage debut, Andersson was previously in the Chelsea squad that reached the 2021 final, losing to Barcelona. Capped more than 100 times by Sweden and twice an Olympic silver medallist, Andersson's seasoned presence brings crucial experience against elite opposition like the Blaugrana.
Lineth Beerensteyn (Wolfsburg)
Beerensteyn is yet to score in this season's Champions League for Wolfsburg but the Dutch striker's first campaign back in Germany has been generally prolific. The former Bayern forward left Juventus in the summer and with eight goals in her first ten Frauen Bundesliga games for Wolfsburg, Beerensteyn's attacking prowess remains as sharp as ever.
Wolfsburg will be through if they beat Roma by two goals or more, and victory at least is paramount. Beerensteyn's two goals for Juve in a 4-2 win at Roma in December 2022 was a crucial moment in deciding that season's Serie A title and Wolfsburg will be looking to her for that sort of display on Wednesday.
Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid)
Caicedo is still only 19 but her talent has long been widely known. Still, this was always going to be a challenging season for a player who in the summer played for Colombia at both the Olympics and home FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.
Madrid coach Alberto Toril managed Caicedo's minutes early in the season, but still in the less than half an hour she was on the pitch in the 3-2 Matchday 1 loss at Chelsea the attacker so nearly turned the game with her pace and skill. Now up to full speed, Caicedo was brilliant in the three wins against Twente and Celtic that ensured Madrid's quarter-final berth and will be aiming to star again at home to the Dutch side as they continue their chase of Chelsea for Group B first place.
Frida Maanum (Arsenal)
It is a return to her home city of Oslo on Thursday for Maanum as Arsenal, already through, visit Vålerenga aiming to keep their bid to overhaul Bayern for Group C top spot alive. Arsenal have hit form after a slow start to the season and Maanum's form in a No10 role under caretaker Renée Slegers has played a key part.
Maanum, who had a superb 2022/23 but a mixed time last season, is up to double figures in goals for this campaign already, including three in Europe. One came against another Norwegian side, the winner in the 1-0 defeat of Rosenborg in the round 1 final (the round in which Arsenal exited last season). A repeat against another Toppserien side would be more than welcome, though it is not just Maanum's goals but her all-round play and energy that make her such a threat.