05 September 2026
Having secured their place in the League Phase of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, the Women's First Team are set to face AC Milan on the third and final matchday of the group stage of the 2026/27 Serie A Women’s Cup.
Ahead of the match, coach Isaac Guerrero spoke about the clash with the Rossonere and analysed the team’s progress so far.
THE EUROPEAN OBJECTIVES AND THE DRAW
“Qualifying for the League Phase has given us a real boost. It was a key objective for the season, one that meant a great deal to us on the coaching staff, the players and the whole club. It’s been a challenging journey, we had to start our preparations very early and face opponents of the very highest calibre, such as Torreense, Hammarby and, finally, St. Pölten.
"In Wednesday’s return leg against the Austrian side, we wanted to win, we didn’t manage it, but we were able to compete. We lacked a bit of rhythm in our passing, but that’s something we’ll sort out starting with the match against Milan. The draw? There are no easy opponents in the Women’s Champions League; we’re in for some fascinating matches against some of the greatest clubs in the history of women’s football. We’ll give it our all, playing to our strengths and staying true to our identity. We’re really looking forward to it.”
THE CLASH WITH MILAN
“Milan are a very competitive side who have strengthened their squad, particularly in attack, and they’ll put us to the test, really putting our ability to win the ball back away from our penalty area to the test. This is, to all intents and purposes, a head-to-head clash. We’re not thinking about the possibility of a draw;,we want to win to continue our journey towards the semi-finals. To lift this trophy, we need three wins. We’re aiming to secure the first one and keep moving forward. The girls are raring to go and keen to go far in this competition.”
THE STRENGTH OF THE TEAM AND ITS PLAYING IDENTITY
"This team’s identity is the one the players themselves have chosen. They want to take centre stage and enjoy themselves through their play and ball possession, knowing that this is what brings out the best in them. It gives me enormous pleasure to see that, regardless of who starts or who comes on as a substitute, the standard of performance remains consistent.
"We rotate the squad a great deal because we have complete faith in the entire squad. Everyone must feel involved, bearing in mind that nobody here gives anything away for free. Playing time is earned in training. I can assure you that I have never had to reprimand the team for a lack of intensity or lapses in concentration during daily training sessions since we started. All the players who have been selected have earned the playing time they’ve had so far.”
THE START OF THE SEASON
"If I had to pinpoint the aspects that have pleased me most in these first few weeks, I’d mention two or three. First of all, the team’s ability to compete right from the start whilst always remaining true to themselves, and that’s down to the girls’ character. Secondly, the total commitment of the squad. There aren’t just 11 first-team players with a few reserves, everyone is pulling in the same direction, both on the pitch and in the changing room, where there’s a wonderful atmosphere.
"Finally, I’m delighted with the personal milestones that can be achieved in this environment, such as the European debut for young players like [Federica] D’Auria, [Matilde] Pavan, [Emilie] Mece and [Cristina] Libran. I’d also like to take this opportunity to wish all our girls competing in the Under-20 World Cup the very best of luck."
