:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65198576/Futbol_femenino_FC_Barcelona_Femenino_Atletico_de_Madrid_Femenino_CD_Tacon_Athletic_Club_femenino_Futbol_427218137_133903100_1706x960.0.jpg)
Tomorrow morning (for those of us in the States) is the much anticipated first official game of the La Liga Iberdrola season. CD Tacon/Real Madrid Femenino will face off against FC Barcelona Femenení at 10 AM Mountain Time at the Estadi Johan Cruyff stadium in Barcelona. They will be playing the game on Real Madrid TV.
Barcelona will, no doubt, be formidable. They finished six points behind league winners Atlético Madrid, with only two losses last season. They also picked up Jenni Hermoso from Atléti for three years once her contract expired. She played a vital role for the Spanish National Team this summer, scoring three goals in the competition — including one in their Round of 16 match against the USA. Not to be overlooked, is the Netherlands’ Lieke Mertens, who just signed a three-year extension. She came into this summer’s World Cup with an injury but still finished all seven games and added two goals to their total.
This is CD Tacon’s first game in the first division and their preseason games haven’t left me too hopeful, for now. Understandably, they looked like a team that haven’t played together much and, thus, they needs some more work on communication. If their preseason games are any indicator, we’ll see a 4-4-2 out of David Aznar’s side, with Kosovare Asllani and Sofia Jakobsson upfront. Our midfield will probably consist of Aurelie Kaci, Thaisa Moreno, Ainoa Campos, and Malena Ortiz. The likely backline will be Esther, Daiane, Lucia Suarez, and Samara Ortiz, with Yohana in goal.
Unfortunately, I don’t think we’re winning our first match and I actually think we may get blown out. Between Barcelona’s experience up front and the weaknesses in our defense, expecting a win or even a tie would be a stretch (I hope I am, and can’t wait to be, proved wrong by our team.)
¡Hala Madrid!