Manchester City’s UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign will continue on Tuesday, as the Cityzens welcome Hammarby to the Joie Stadium for the third match of the 2024/25 group stage.
A hefty nine-goal defeat to Barcelona last time out left many predicting another drubbing for the visitors as they make their way to England, but Manchester City’s Gareth Taylor instead suggested that “the margins are going to be very tight” as Bajen continue their maiden European campaign.
Manchester City v Hammarby gets underway at 20:00 GMT on Tuesday, 12 November.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhat did Gareth Taylor say?
There was perhaps no better way for Manchester City to open their UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign than recording an emphatic victory over the reigning champions, FC Barcelona. Almost immediately, Gareth Taylor began to praise Barcelona for their ability to bounce back from defeats – and they did just that, putting nine unanswered goals past Hammarby a week later.
Asked for his thoughts on that clash, Taylor quipped that the result was “misleading for Hammarby, [but] not for Barcelona. I’ve spoken previously about trying to replicate what Barcelona have done over the last few years and that’s really tough, but we’re on a journey of trying to get to that level.”
“The way they went out and literally hammered Hammarby was very impressive. Do I expect the same game tomorrow? No, the margins are going to be very tight,” he added, highlighting that the Damallsvenskan third-place finishers are “very difficult, more often than not, to be broken down. They make it really difficult by sometimes defending with a five [at the back], sometimes with a four.”
If past matches are anything to go by, a sizeable Hammarby contingent is set to descend on Joie Stadium on Tuesday. In their maiden campaign on the continent, Bajen fans have rapidly earned a reputation for their respectable travelling support – and Taylor expressed his appreciation for the fans who will make the journey.
Embed from Getty Images“I think it’s a good thing,” he told reporters, adding that “if that away support is noisy, it makes for a better atmosphere.”
“We play away [in Stockholm] next week in probably another good atmosphere from what we’ve seen in their previous game at home against St Pölten. We’re expecting a tough challenge tomorrow, there’s no doubt.”
That challenge will be further exaggerated by a diminished squad, with Taylor admitting that his side “don’t have the strength in depth currently that we’d like.”
There has been positive news from the medical department though, and while “this game is too soon for them,” Naomi Layzell and Laia Aleixandri are both nearing a return to play.
“In my last presser I mentioned that Naomi was getting closer, there’s been some positive news on her after further investigation and Laia is very similar. That’s really good news because it could’ve been longer. They’re both working extremely hard, this game has come too soon for them but they’re not far away at all.”
Manchester City host Hammarby at 20:00 GMT on Tuesday, 12 November. You can follow the action right here on FromTheSpot, with a match report published on after the final whistle and reactions from both managers.