Women's Champions League: Real Madrid vs Paris FC facts

Real Madrid, who reached the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-finals in 2021/22, will against attempt to end their winless Group D start when they host Paris FC, who secured their first points of the group stage at the expense of the Liga F outfit last time out.

Madrid, the only side yet to record a victory in the section and just the fourth across the group stage overall along with Group A's Rosengård plus Group B pair Slavia Praha and St. Pölten, were two goals down after just six minutes in the Matchday 3 encounter with Paris after strikes from Julie Dufour and Gaëtane Thiney. Home goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie kept out Olga Carmona's penalty just before the half-hour and the visitors were unable to capitalise on Caroline Møller halving the deficit early in the second half.

Madrid have never lost three games in a Women's Champions League group stage; they suffered two defeats in both 2021/22 and 2022/23.

Sandrine Soubeyrand's Paris FC can emulate Paris-Saint Germain by beating Real Madrid home and away in their section, Paris's city rivals having won 4-0 at home and 2-0 away on Matchdays 3 and 4 in November 2021.

Players to watch

Athenea del Castillo

The 23-year-old scored for a third appearance running for club and country in Spain's 5-3 UEFA Women's Nations League win against Sweden in Malaga on 5 December, her goal sparking the home side's comeback from 3-1 down.

The forward also struck in added time of Real Madrid's 3-0 second-leg win at Vålerenga in round 2 on 18 October.

Del Castillo was the only Madrid player to feature in all 30 of their Liga F matches last season, starting 27.

She made three appearances as La Roja claimed their first FIFA Women's World Cup in the summer, although she was an unused substitute for the 1-0 final victory against England.

Del Castillo was part of the Spain side that won the UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship in 2018; her team lost to a France side containing Paris trio Julie Dufour, Kessya Bussy and Margaux Le Mouël in the following year's semi-finals.

Gaëtane Thiney

The 38-year-old was named Player of the Match on Matchday 3 against Madrid, her sixth-minute strike proving to be the eventual winner.

The forward also got on the scoresheet in Paris's 4-1 league win at Montpellier on 9 December, her sixth Division 1 Féminine goal of the season already one more than her total for the whole of 2022/23.

Both of Thiney's Women's Champions League goals this season have come inside the first ten minute; before her Matchday 3 strike against Madrid, she had registered after eight minutes of a 3-3 first-leg home draw versus last season's runners-up Wolfsburg in the Round 2 qualifier on 10 October.

The Paris FC captain, who joined the club's predecessors Juvisy-Essonne in July 2008, was a part of the side that reached the last four of this competition in 2012/13 along with current head coach Soubeyrand.

The former French international hit 25 league goals in 2013/14 to finish as the leading scorer in the French top flight.

Key facts

Real Madrid

Madrid have lost only one of their previous seven home Women's Champions League group games (W3 D3).

The Spanish side have, however, managed only one win in their last eight Women's Champions League group games (D3 L4).

Madrid have scored in 17 of their last 19 European fixtures.

Paris FC

The French side have lost only two of their last nine Women's Champions League matches (W4 D3).

Paris have scored at least once in every game in this season's competitions.

Soubeyrand's side have won six of their last eight away matches in all competitions (D1 L1).