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The 2020 Women’s Champions League final re-starts this weekend with the quarter-finals kicking off in the north of Spain: the Anoeta Stadium in San Sebastián and at the San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao. Similar to the men’s tournament, this year’s Women’s Champions League will only feature one match – no home andA away fixtures – which means it’s a pure knock-out competition. Let us know who you think will win by voting in our poll below. If you have questions or comments then you can email us at: admin@languagecaster.com.
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,A 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
Embed from Getty ImagesLyon 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 face two-time winners and German title-winners Wolfsburg in the quarter final – they have little or no chance of causing an upset here, I’m afraid.
Winners?
It will have to be Lyon again – maybe defeating Barcelona in the final. Let us know what you think by joining in with our predictions or by adding your choice of winner to the poll below.
Stinger: You are listening to languagecaster.com (in Thai)
Good Bye
DF: OK, that’s it for this short podcast on the 2020 Women’s Champions League. Come along to our site, say hello, participate in the polls, ask or answer some of the questions on our forums and just let us know what you think of the show. We’ll be back soon with another football language podcast and until then enjoy all the football. Bye bye.
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Attribution
Di Michael Frey (Michael Frey) – Opera propria, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43308342