SHOCKING: Cardiff City Women looking to pull off stunning Champions League move

On Wednesday at 18:00 BST, Cardiff City Women will attempt to upset FC Twente in the first qualifying round of the Champions League.

Cardiff has qualified for the Champions League for the second consecutive season after achieving a domestic treble in 2023-24.

However, the Dutch champions present a formidable challenge to Iain Darbyshire’s team at Sportpark Schreurserve in Enschede.

“As a football fan and a coach, you want to be involved in the biggest competitions, and this is the largest female competition in the world,” head coach Darbyshire stated to Cardiff’s website.

“We are eager for the players to demonstrate their capabilities against formidable opponents.”

Twente is hosting a mini-tournament, which includes Wednesday’s game.

Cardiff will face either Icelandic side Valur or ZFK Ljuboten, from North Macedonia, on Saturday, provided that they defeat their hosts. The encounter will also be played at Sportpark Schreurserve.

The victors advance to the second qualifying round.

Twente’s defeat would necessitate Cardiff’s participation in a third-place match against the victors of Valur’s semi-final against ZFK Ljuboten.

The Dutch title has been won by Twente three times in the past four years, following the signing of Wales custodian Olivia Clark in the summer.

Last weekend, they defeated Ajax 6-1 in the Dutch Super Cup to prepare for Cardiff’s visit.

Cardiff has brought in a number of new faces, but they have lost Seren Watkins and Rhianne Oakley to West Bromwich Albion during the close season, and captain Siobhan Walsh has retired.

Cardiff entered the competition for the first time in a decade last year, but they were defeated in both of their initial qualifying round games by the Lithuanian hosts Gintra and the Irish side Shelbourne.

Darbyshire further stated, “It is essentially a new squad.”

“We are aware that we must approach the game differently than we did last year, and we are eager to do so.”