Title Reframed: UEFA Champions League - Eintracht's women's team prepares to overcome their initial challenge in the Champions League.
Eintracht Frankfurt's women's soccer team is heading into the opening round of the Champions League with high hopes. Their objective is straightforward: just like last season, they want to advance to the group stage of the competition and savor the experience in the 'elite class' for as long as they can.
Their journey begins on Wednesday (16:00 CET) in Reykjavik with a semi-final match against Portuguese Supercup winners and runners-up, Sporting Lisbon. A victory would set them up against either FC Minsk or hosts Breiðablik in the final. Only the tournament champion will progress to the playoff games, which is the final hurdle before reaching the group stage.
The German team is buzzing with excitement prior to their clash against the Portuguese side. National player Elisa Senß expressed her enthusiasm, saying, "I'm really excited about the Champions League. It's a new challenge for me. We all want to make it to the group stage and give everything we've got. There's some excitement, but mostly anticipation. We're heading to Iceland with a lot of confidence."
"We want to win the tournament"
Coach Niko Arnautis can rely on a full squad, excluding captain Tanja Pawollek, the injured sisters Dilara and Ilayda Acikgoez, and Sophie Nachtigall and Jella Veit, who are presently at the U20 World Cup.
Arnautis, who is 44 years old, can't hide his tension ahead of the semi-final against the Portuguese team. "We understand the difficult task against a robust and strong side. But we'll be ready and head to Iceland with a lot of anticipation. We want to win the tournament," he said.
The team's ultimate goal in the Champions League extends beyond the group stage, as they aim to 'win the tournament'. Regardless of their opponents in the final, whether it's FC Minsk or Breiðablik, they remain focused on achieving this 'Other' objective.
