March 13 – The England women’s team manager Hope Powell has spoken of her excitement at the prospect of seeing the UEFA women’s Champions League final being staged at Fulham’s Craven Cottage on May 26.
Powell is the ambassador for the final, taking place in her home city, and there is still the possibility that Premier League rivals Arsenal and Everton could meet in the West London showpiece.
The 44-year-old said: “I’m really looking forward to it.
“I’ll be even happier if the two English teams get to the final.
“It is a great year actually, this year, for women’s football.
“We’ve got our new WSL league, our new summer league, starting in April, then obviously it’s the Champions League, and then the World Cup and the Olympics the following year.
“It’s a great build-up, the Champions League is part of this, and the fact that it’s hosted in London just gives us some momentum for women’s football, and helps us raise the profile.”
Arsenal play Linkoping in their quarter final, whilst Everton are up against Duisberg, and Powell believes the two sides will face difficult tests in their quest to reach the semi-finals.
“At this stage all the games will be difficult,” she said.
“Obviously Everton have Duisburg, and we know about them; they have a lot of German internationals, and Arsenal have [Linköping].
“There are experienced players in both sides, internationally, who have come through the ranks in terms of youth to senior internationals, and so have the English teams.”
Also left in the tournament are Juvisy Essone and Potsdam, who meet in the last eight, and the last quarter-final will be contested by Zvezda 2005 and Lyon.
“Potsdam and Duisburg are the two that really stick out,” said Powell, who is also preparing for England’s clash with the United States at Brisbane Road on April 2 in the first game the two sides will have played in England.
The US have won seven of the country’s previous 10 meetings, with England winning just once, and the last meeting between the sides saw the Americans triumph 3-0 in the 2007 World Cup, and Powell believes “it will be a measure of where we are right now.”