REAL MADRID FEMENINO
Linda Caicedo and Real Madrid finish terrible UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign with a loss to Häcken
The Colombian star started on the bench as Real Madrid limped to yet another defeat in an awful UWCL campaign.
Real Madrid said goodbye to the UEFA Women’s Champions League at the Group Stage after a drab defeat to Häcken, sealing a terrible continental campaign which saw them pick up just 1 point from 18.
Linda Caicedo was left on the bench by manager Alberto Toril for the game, with the Spanish coach preferring to start with Hayley Raso and Athenea on the wings. The Colombian was brought on in the second half for Caroline Møller but she was unable to impact the game and in the end, it was another sorry night for Las Blancas in their dreadful season of European football.
Nothing was in play for the side from the capital after results on match day 4 saw their fate sealed; Häcken, on the other hand, managed to book their ticket to the knockout rounds given Chelsea’s impressive win over Paris FC in the other match in Group D.
Madrid wave goodbye to a dreadful Champions League season
Real Madrid started off their 23/24 UWCL campaign with a 2-2 draw against Chelsea at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano in a game that saw some contentious refereeing results go their way; it would end up being their only point of the season in the competition.
The draw was followed up by consecutive 2-1 losses to Paris FC and Häcken before a home loss against the French side sealed their fate in the competition. With the pressure off and nothing but pride to play for, Real Madrid continued their sorry performances in Europe’s elite competition and lost 2-1 to Chelsea before taking on their Swedish opponents in the final group game.
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Where next for Real Madrid Femenino?
The result will do little to please the fans who failed to show in what was one of the lowest attendances of the season. Hope and excitement for Real Madrid’s season continues to wain as manager Alberto Toril is not a popular figure with those who frequent the stadium on a weekly basis with the apparent lack of a cohesive plan serving only to increase the tension up and down the stands.
The league is the next priority for Las Blancas however they are also into the quarter-finals of the Copa de la Reina, and will play against Atlético Madrid on February 8. Before that they play against Valencia in the league as they look to once again fight for a place in next season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League.