Glasgow City given difficult Champions League draw

Glasgow retained the Scottish Women's Premier League title

Glasgow City manager Peter Caulfield believes they have received the toughest draw possible in the Uefa Women's Champions League.

The Scottish champions face 2001 Duisburg (Germany), Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia) and Crusaders Newtonabbey Strikers (Northern Ireland).

"We know there are no easy draws in European competition, but some draws are more difficult than others.

"And, to be honest, we couldn't have had it any tougher," said Caulfield.

"However, what a challenge for the club and the players to compete in some outstanding games and to face world-class players in the process."

We know Duisburg to be an outstanding side Glasgow City manager Peter Caulfield

Seven groups of four teams were drawn at Uefa headquarters in Nyon, with previous good results in Europe leading to Glasgow being installed among the second seeds.

But they were drawn with German opposition for the third year in a row for the matches to be played between 5-10 August.

"We know Duisburg to be an outstanding side and, having faced German teams in the last two seasons, we expect this to be a real test for the players," Caulfield said of last season's semi-finalists.

"They are a fully professional team packed with international players, not only from Germany but Holland, Belgium and Japan.

"This is a team who boast World Cup winners in their ranks, in the like of Annike Krahn and Simone Laudehr and the outstanding striker, Inka Grings, who scored a double when helping Germany to victory in the Euro 2009 final against England."

Although Slovan are competing in the tournament for the first time for five seasons, Caulfield expects them to be as difficult to beat as other Slovakian teams.

The Glasgow boss also thinks a "British-style" game is in store against a "good solid" Crusaders, who are their first opponents on 5 August.

"With the seven group winners and the best two runners-up qualifying for the final 32 draw, we face a huge challenge to come out of this group, but it's one we will face head-on," said Caulfield.

"We have been improving all the time as a football team and are now ready to show we can compete with the very best."

Holders Turbine Potsdam of Germany and English champions Arsenal are among 23 teams to have received byes to the next stage of the competition, the final of which will take place at London's Wembley on 26 May.

Meanwhile, English side Everton are the seeded side in Group 2 with Gintra Universitetas of Lithuania, Klaksvíkar Ítrottarfelag of Faroe Islands and ZFK Borec of Macedonia.

Welsh champions Swansea City are in Group 5 with Krka of Slovenia, Baia Zugdidi of Georgia and seeds Bardolino Verona of Italy.

Irish champions St Francis are in Group 6 with seeded Russian side Rossiyanka, Dezembro of Portugal and Osijek of Croatia.

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Uefa Women's Champions League draw

Group 1: Brondby (Denmark), NSA Sofia (Bulgaria), Roma Calfa (Moldova) ,Gazi Üniversitesi (Turkey)

Group 2: Everton (England), Gintra Universitetas (Lithuania), Klaksvíkar Ítrottarfelag (Faroe Islands), Borec (Macedonia)

Group 3: Umeå IK (Sweden), 2000 Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), ASA Tel-Aviv (Israel), Apollon Limassol (Cyprus)

Group 4: Juvisy Essonne (France), Breidablik (Iceland), Târgu Mure? (Romania), Levadia Tallinn (Estonia)

Group 5: Bardolino Verona (Italy), Krka (Slovenia), Swansea City (Wales), Baia Zugdidi (Georgia)

Group 6: Rossiyanka (Russia), 1° Dezembro (Portugal), Osijek (Croatia), St Francis (Ireland)

Group 7: 2001 Duisburg (Germany), Glasgow City (Scotland), Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia), Crusaders Newtownabbey Strikers (Northern Ireland)