Women’s football: Uncharted territory ahead with Scottish clubs facing tricky ties in Europe

THE resilience of Glasgow City and Hibernian will be tested to the limit this week as, for the first time, Scotland has two clubs in the last 32 of the Uefa Women’s Champions League.

Hibs, who have never played at this level before, face German champions Bayern Munich at Easter Road on Wednesday. The next night Glasgow City are away at Eskilstuna United, who were runners-up in the Swedish league last season.

Not least among the disadvantages the Scottish clubs face is that Bayern and Eskilstuna have fully professional squads. The German and Swedish leagues are similarly among the top in Europe and provide intensive week-in, week-out competition for the players.

Hibs, who finished second to perennial champions City last season, won the lottery when they not only qualified for the Champions League but were given a pass straight into the knockout stages. The dream continued with a glamour tie against Bayern, but while it will provide a thrill and a valuable benchmark for a squad of largely young players, it is not a draw designed to steer Hibs into the last 16.

If there is one sliver of hope it is that the Frauen Bundesliga has barely started. Bayern’s game at Bayer Leverkusen this afternoon will be only their fourth of the season – and the Germans were surprisingly beaten at the same stage of the Champions League last season by FC Twente.

Hibs, by contrast, are approaching the end of the summer Scottish season. They are also well equipped to play counter-attacking football and players such as Abi Harrison, pictured, Lucy Graham and Sarah Ewens look set to join Lizzie Arnott as full Scotland internationalists.

The difference is that most of the Bayern players are already well established at that level. A core of German players is augmented by several from other countries; Scotland’s Lisa Evans has to be at the top of her game to get a starting place.

If there is no pressure on Hibs to reach the last 16 against such obvious quality, the task facing City is more problematical. Eskilstuna are little known outside Sweden and although they are not going to emulate last season’s second place, they sit third in the table with five games remaining.

“There is a lot of excitement about the Champions League draw, but people always say they don’t want a Swedish side,” said City head coach Scott Booth. “It’s a country which produces good women players, and they have height, pace and physical stature.”

Given the disparity between the SWPL and the Damallsvenskan, it says everything for the Scottish champions’ recent Champions League efforts that they are the seeded team. Most of their previous experience came under previous head coach Eddie Wolecki Black, but Booth had just taken over when City fell, with dignity intact, to Chelsea at the same stage last season. “They are more one dimensional than Chelsea in my opinion,” the former Aberdeen and Scotland striker said, “but are a very good side. “Their front two, Mimmi Larsson and Olivia Schough, are lightning quick. They play a 3-5-2 and with the back three all being very tall we will have to be very careful about giving away free-kicks near the box and corners. “The challenge will be to keep the tie alive for the second leg at Airdrie.” Unlike Hibs, Booth can count on vast experience in the shape of Scotland players Gemma Fay, Leanne Ross, Jo Love, Hayley Lauder and, when she is fully fit, Julie Fleeting. They will need all of it for a difficult assignment.