The Champions begins its important phase with all the teams in contention, including Atlético and Barcelona, entering the hype of the round of 32. They are the Spanish representatives, but not the only ones. Seven national players will also fight in the top European competition: Lola Gallardo and Celia Jiménez, with Olympique Lyon, Irene Paredes in PSG, Gio Carreras in the Dutch PSV, Marta Peiró and Paula Serrano in the Swiss Servette and Paula Domínguez in the Portuguese Benfica. Those of the French teams are the only ones that will start as seeds …
Lola Gallardo and Celia Jiménez joined the almighty Olympique de Lyon this season. The goalkeeper, in fact, played the final phase of the Champions League and lifted the trophy with the Lyon team last August, although he could not dispute any minute. The goal has difficult competition from Bouhaddi in goal, although he has already made his official debut with the Olympique team. For her part, Celia Jiménez recently arrived from OL Reign, the United States team to which she belongs and which is affiliated with Olympique to reinforce the right back with the departure of Bronze from the team. The Jaén, however, has not yet debuted with her new squad, although she will surely have minutes very soon.
Irene Paredes is the captain and one of the pillars of PSG. She arrived in 2016 and at 30 she is one of the leaders in the dressing room and on the pitch. Untouchable in the center of the rear, Irene will try, this year, to be able to fight for the title again with the Parisian team, which has bet heavily on its women's section in its crusade to unseat Olympique de Lyon as best continental team.
The rest of the Spanish women have a harder time going far in the European competition. Gio Carreras arrived this summer in the Netherlands after years at Valencia, however, he is not having too many opportunities (It takes 65 minutes so far this season). A new experience for the Catalan who will be able to debut in the European competition. While, The Swiss Servette has two Spanish players: Marta Peiró and Paula Serrano. The forward came this summer after leaving Sporting Huelva and has become a fundamental piece of the team, while the midfielder arrived in 2018 in her second stage in the Swiss country after playing for Neunkirch and returning to Spain to play for Madrid CFF. By last, Pauleta is one of Benfica's most important players. His arrival in Portugal was in 2016 and in 2018 he made the leap to the Lisbon project that wanted to reign in his country and compete in Europe. You already know what it is to win the Super Cup with Benfica and now comes the challenge of the Champions League. Seven more Spanish women who will also fight to lift the most important continental trophy …