Ajax Amsterdam, Bayern Munich, AS Roma. In men’s football in the 1980s or 1990s, these opponents would have been a dream for many of you. Prestigious names who continue to see their women’s team grow and who make up the PSG group for its 2023-2024 Champions League campaign. Paris begins this Wednesday evening in the Netherlands against (9 p.m., DAZN) against Ajax with the status of favorite against a team still in development.
On paper, Ajax even appears to be the “weakest” opponent in this group C. The iconic club of Johan Cruyff, crowned national champion in 2023, is this season ahead of Twente in the championship. Created in 2012, the women’s section has only reached the round of 16 of the Champions League once, in 2018-2019, swept away by Olympique Lyonnais (13-0 over the two matches). And will experience its first appearance in a group stage.
“It’s really a group of death for us,” smiles Suzanne Bakker, Dutch coach, at a press conference. That was my first thought. But we want to reach this highest level. It’s new for most of the players but it’s fantastic to be able to compete with these teams like PSG, Bayern and AS Roma. We want to show who we are and I’m sure we can get good results. »
The meeting will take place on the lawn of the magnificent Arena Johan Cruyff and its 55,000 seats. A special poster for Jackie Groenen, Dutch international, PSG midfielder. “I think Ajax is a very technical team,” she explains on the official PSG website. She plays in a very similar style to what I’m used to, so I think I can analyze her pretty well. They play in a typically Dutch style, inspired by Johan Cruyff. » The other Dutch player from PSG, Lieke Martens, is however absent (care).
With 12 goals scored in its last three matches, the Parisian team wants to confirm its good momentum. Led by rookie Tabitha Chawinga and the return of her star striker Marie Katoto, Jocelyn Prêcheur’s team is aiming for better results than last season in the Champions League, where they were eliminated in the quarter-finals. Finalist in 2015 and 2017, semi-finalist in 2016, 2020, 2021 and 2022, Paris wishes to once again become a stronghold of European football.
His mission begins in Amsterdam before hosting Bayern Munich at the Jean-Bouin stadium on Thursday, November 23 (6:45 p.m.).
Likely squad: Picaud – Payne, Hunt, De Almeida, Karchaoui – Albert, Groenen – Baltimore, Geyoro (cap.), Chawinga – Katoto.
