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Preview: Wolfsburg Women vs. Paris Saint-Germain Women - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 28 March 2023, 09:34
Wolfsburg Women will carry a one-goal lead into the second leg of their Women's Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain Women, which takes place at the Volkswagen Arena on Thursday.

The hosts will be looking to progress to the last four for a second straight season, while PSG have the chance to reach the semi-finals for the fourth consecutive time.

Match preview

Wolfsburg take a slender advantage into Thursday's contest after they prevailed in Paris last week thanks to Dominique Janssen's second-half spot-kick.

Moments after a decision to award PSG a penalty was overturned, Elisa De Almeida was penalised for a handball in the box following a VAR review, resulting in her second yellow card of the game and allowing Janssen to score the winning goal from 12-yards.

However, Tommy Stroot's side were on the wrong side of a winning penalty at the weekend, as Georgia Stanway dispatched a late spot-kick to guide Wolfsburg's title rivals Bayern Munich to a 1-0 win.

As a result of the defeat, Die Wolfinnen relinquished top spot to Bayern, but they will have to quickly pick themselves up as they bid to protect their first-leg advantage over PSG.

Wolfsburg are unbeaten in the Champions League this season, having won five and drawn two of their seven games in the competition, and another positive result would secure their place in the semi-finals.

PSG bounced back from their first-leg defeat by claiming a narrow 1-0 away victory over Montpellier following Ramona Bachmann's first-half strike.

Sunday's victory keeps second-placed PSG within one point of Division 1 Feminine leaders Lyon, keeping them in the hunt for a potential treble.

If they are to keep battling on three fronts then PSG will have to win on Thursday, and they can draw confidence from the fact that they have won the away leg of their last two European quarter-finals.

Having progressed to the semi-finals in six of their seven last appearances, the omens are positive for a PSG side who are hoping to win their first Champions League trophy this season.

PSG have kept clean sheets in each of their last four competitive away games, which will give them the foundation to mount a fightback in the second leg.

Wolfsburg Women Women's Champions League form:

W

D

W

D

W

W

Wolfsburg Women form (all competitions):

Paris Saint-Germain Women Women's Champions League form:

D

W

W

W

L

L

Paris Saint-Germain Women form (all competitions):

Team News

Stroot is expected to opt for continuity and name the same Wolfsburg side for a third consecutive game.

Marina Hegering will partner Janssen in central defence, while Kathrin Hendrich and Felicitas Rauch will operate as the two full-backs.

Ewa Pajor is the top scorer in the Champions League this season with seven goals to her name, and she will have the chance to add to her tally when she leads the line.

As for the visitors, Paulina Dudek, Barbora Votikova, Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Amanda Ilestedt are expected to miss out through injury.

There are also doubts over Jackie Groenen's availability after she was forced off in the first half of Sunday's win over Montpellier.

Marina Georgieva could come into the backline to replace De Almeida, who will serve a one-match suspension after being sent off in the first leg.

Wolfsburg Women possible starting lineup:

Frohms; Hendrich, Hegering, Janssen, Rauch; Oberdorf, Lattwein; Huth, Roord, Popp; Pajor

Paris Saint-Germain Women possible starting lineup:

Bouhaddi; Lawrence, Georgieva, Geyoro, Karchaoui; Hamraoui, Jean-Francois, Bachmann; Martens, Baltimore, Diani

We say: Wolfsburg Women 2-1 Paris Saint-Germain Women

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