Group C leaders Barcelona Women travel to Germany on Wednesday when they will face third-placed Hoffenheim Women in gameweek four of the Women's Champions League.
The reigning European champions have maintained a perfect start to this year's group stages, while Hoffenheim are three points behind Arsenal in their bid to secure a place in the knockout rounds.
Match preview
© Reuters
Gabor Gallai's side currently sit second in the Frauen Bundesliga and remained level on points with table-toppers Wolfsburg by emphatically defeating Bayer Leverkusen last time out.
Braces from Chantal Hagel and Gia Chorley added to goals from Jule Brand, Katharina Naschenweng and Nicole Billa, sealing a 7-1 victory for Hoffenheim.
That domestic victory was a good way for Gallai's team to bounce back after suffering a 4-0 defeat last week in the Champions League.
The hosts on Wednesday will be hoping to use their home advantage to avoid another defeat against Barcelona this time around, having played two out of their first three Champions League fixtures away from the Dietmar-Hopp Stadium
Jennifer Hermoso, Marta Torrejon and a double from Alexia Putellas secured that 4-0 win for Barcelona last week against Hoffenheim, and that continued their perfect start to the defence of their European title.
Not only does Jonathan Giraldez's side claim a 100% record in the Champions League this season, but the Catalonian giants have won 10 out of 10 in the Primera Division Femenina.
Barcelona have already scored 58 goals in the league and the team kept their eighth domestic clean sheet last time out, when they beat Levante 4-0 at the Estadi Johan Cruyff.
After going from 2015 to 2020 without winning a league title, Barcelona are now aiming to win their third Primera Division crown in a row, while also looking to defend their Champions League triumph.
Giraldez's side have only conceded one goal in their three group stage games so far, but Hoffenheim will be looking to learn from their mistakes last Wednesday to make it a more difficult test for the visitors.
- W
- L
- L
- L
- W
- D
- W
- L
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
Team News
The home side will operate in a 4-3-3 formation, with Naschenweng, Michaela Specht, Luana Buhler and Laura Wienroither making up the defensive line, in front of goalkeeper Martina Tufekovic.
Billa is expected to lead the line for Hoffenheim, as she is currently the German outfit's top goalscorer this season, and she will want to add to her one Champions League goal so far in this campaign.
Brand and Sarai Linder are likely to provide the attacking width for Gallai's side, having both started against Barcelona in the Champions League last Wednesday.
Lieke Martens and Fridolina Rolfo are expected to start for Barcelona this week, with the pair claiming four goal contributions between them in the Champions League this season.
Irene Paredes and Mapi Leon came back into the starting lineup against Hoffenheim last time, after Jana Fernandez and Andrea Pereira replaced the centre-back duo against Koge in gameweek two, but Paredes and Leon are likely to continue in the heart of defence.
Putellas will be one of the main attacking threats for Barcelona, and Hoffenheim will be wary of her presence after the Spanish international netted twice last Wednesday.
Hoffenheim Women possible starting lineup:
Tufekovic; Naschenweng, Specht, Buhler, Wienroither; Feldkamp, Dongus, De Caigny; Brand, Billa, Linder
Barcelona Women possible starting lineup:
Panos; Serrano, Leon, Paredes, Torrejon; Putellas, Guijarro, Hermoso; Martens, Oshoala, Rolfo
We say: Hoffenheim Women 0-2 Barcelona Women
Barcelona have managed to score four goals in both of their home Champions League games so far, but they only managed to find the back of the net on two occasions in their previous away game in this competition against Koge, which gives Hoffenheim some hope of keeping the score down more than last week.
Any team will find it difficult to stop Barcelona in their current form, and Wednesday is likely to be another encounter where Barca can show their quality on the European stage.
No Data Analysis info
