FC Bayern Women play their first competitive fixture of 2024 as they visit Roma on Wednesday for Matchday 5 of the 2023/24 UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage. Kick-off at the Stadio Tre Fontane is at 18:45 CET and is available to watch live and for free on DAZN’s YouTube channel. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the match in Italy.
State of play
Bayern have picked up just one point from their last two Champions League games, drawing 1-1 at home to Ajax before a 1-0 defeat in Amsterdam. It takes the team’s total after four games to five points and leaves Die Frauen third in Group C, although there’s still all to play for in the section with the gap to leaders Ajax only two points.
Alexander Straus’s team last played a league fixture against Nürnberg in December, drawing 1-1 in the Bundesliga. Goals from Glódís Viggósdóttir, Lea Schüller, Jill Baijings and Pernille Harder then helped Bayern claim a 4-0 friendly win over Granada during the team’s training camp in Alicante earlier this month.
The home game against Roma saw the Munich ladies take a 2-0 first-half lead through Jovana Damnjanovic and Katharina Naschenweng. However, an added-time equaliser from Manuela Giugliano snatched a 2-2 draw for the Italians. Bayern now want to return home with three points in this second meeting.
“I’m at 100 percent,” said Pernille Harder ahead of facing Roma.
The opponent
Roma have won 12 of their 13 league fixtures this season to sit top of the Italian Serie A Femminile, five points clear of Juventus. The capital club won the title last year with a total of 48 points.
In the Champions League, Alessandro Spugna’s side sit bottom of Group C with a record of two defeats to Paris Saint-Germain, a draw in Munich and a win over Ajax.
Personnel
Straus remains without long-term absentees Carolin Simon (cruciate ligament), Weronika Zawistowska (cruciate ligament), Cecilia Ran Runarsdottir (kneecap), Magdalena Eriksson (metatarsal) and Ana Maria Guzman (knee). Tainara is also out due to illness. New signing Linda Sembrant is not eligible for the two remaining Champions League group games. However, Klara Bühl is back in the squad after her muscular injury.
Head coach Alexander Straus has been preparing his team to face Roma.
“Have to deliver”
Alexander Straus: “Roma have the advantage of having already played games, and above all that they haven’t had any injuries. But we have to accept the situation, look at ourselves and focus on the game tomorrow. We know we have to deliver tomorrow.”
Pernille Harder: “I’ve arrived in a team that has good togetherness, strong people and super teammates. That’s why I’m very happy that I can be in this team. We’ve shown great progress on the pitch. We go into every game with the goal of winning and prepare in the best possible way. If we implement that, then we’ve got a good chance of coming home with three points.”
The stats ahead of Roma way:
Topics of this article