Chelsea's Wembley triumph, Rosengård change
Monday, August 3, 2015
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Chelsea made history at Wembley as Rosengård and Glasgow City appointed new coaches, while Frankfurt, Brøndby and Atlético Madrid have been making signings: the latest updates.
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Chelsea made history at Wembley this weekend while Swedish champions Rosengård have a new coach: UEFA.com rounds up the latest from some of the 22 clubs given byes to the UEFA Champions League knockout phase. The other ten contenders will be decided by the qualifying round from 11 to 16 August.
Chelsea
Making their European debut next month, Chelsea chalked up another bit of history on Saturday with their maiden major honour when they won the first FA Women's Cup final to be played at Wembley, defeating Notts County 1-0 with a Ji So-Yun goal in front of more than 30,000 fans. It made up for Chelsea conceding the FA Women's Super League lead, losing 4-0 at Sunderland and 2-1 at home to Manchester City in the previous fortnight. Chelsea now trail both Sunderland and Arsenal by a point, with Notts County and City three back and reigning champions and fellow European entrants Liverpool five further back.
UEFA.com was at Wembley and spoke to Chelsea's Katie Chapman, Claire Rafferty and Gilly Flaherty: listen in the audio player below.
Rosengård
It has been all change at the Swedish champions with the departure of coach Markus Tilly and the appointment of former Lyngby men's and Malmö FF youth trainer Jack Majgaard Jensen."This is a really exciting challenge for me," he said. "I get to work with some of the world's best football players in a top European club."
However, on Sunday caretaker Therese Sjögran was still in charge, and the club's new sporting director responded to an injury crisis by coming out of her recent playing retirement to take the field against AIK Solna, and scored the fourth goal in a 4-0 win. "It's been a really tough week, I must say," said Sjögran. "But now we get a coach tomorrow, then I can let go." Her team trail Eskilstuna United by two points with a game in hand ahead of Wednesday's trip to the leaders followed by Sunday's Swedish Cup final away to holders Linköping.
1. FFC Frankfurt
The European champions have continued to strengthen by signing midielder Sophie Schmidt, capped 137 times by Canada and once briefly with Swedish side Kristianstad. Her arrival follows that of Chelsea's Jackie Groenen, Freiburg's Jenista Clark and Bayer Leverkusen duo Isabelle Linden and Theresa Panfil and Australia midfielder Emily van Egmond. Schmidt's arrival follows the news that Germany midfielder Dzsenifer Marozsán will be out for around eight weeks after ankle surgery, meaning she is likely to miss the round of 32 in early October.
Bayern München/FC Zürich
Zürich had a confidence-booster as they defeated fellow European entrants Bayern 3-2 in Memmingen. Teenage forward Barla Deplazes scored a late winner for the Swiss champions, who like Bayern will compete at the Valais Women's Cup from 14 to 16 August along with Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain.
Brøndby
Danish champions and 2014/15 semi-finalists Brøndby have signed 19-year-old defender Ida Karstoft, who last season captained Team Viborg. However, forward Katrine Veje has joined American club Seattle Reign on a two-year contract, though she has the option to return to Brøndby in January.
Atlético Madrid
European debutants Atlético, who earlier this summer added Spain attacker Sonia Bermúdez, have made two more signings in the shape of Argentina midfielder Marela Coronel from CD Alcaine, and Mexico defender Kenti Robles from Espanyol. Robles, who won two Spanish titles and player in Europe during her three-year spell at Barcelona from 2011 to 2014, said: "Signing for Atlético Madrid is a big step in my career, I am very excited to start this season, I have been eager to demonstrate and bring to the team. I hope to grow both in football and personally. "
Glasgow City
Former Scotland and Aberdeen striker Scott Booth has been appointed coach of last season's quarter-finalists after the departure of Eddie Wolecki Black, who won eight titles in a row at the helm. Previously manager of Stenhousemuir and a men's youth coach with the Scottish Football Association (SFA), Booth said: "I was looking for a challenge, a real challenge, which I'm going to get here. To maintain success at a club is very difficult given the amount of success this club has had, but it's something I feel we can do." Since taking over, Booth has overseen two league wins, beating Celtic 3-0 and winning 2-0 at Spartans.