Man City Manchester City

Fiorentina Fiorentina

Women's Team

Taylor: Timing of opener crucial in Birmingham rout

WHEN AND WHERE?

The game will take place on Wednesday, March 3 at the Academy Stadium, with a kick-off time of 16:45 (UK).

BROADCAST INFORMATION

The match will be available to watch live to CITY+ subscribers* while the action is also being screened by BT Sport. You can also keep up to date with all the action via our twitter: @ManCityWomen.

CITY+ | SIGN UP TO ACCESS EXCLUSIVE CONTENT

Following the final whistle, a comprehensive report on proceedings, plus reaction from manager Gareth Taylor and a player will also be available to read on mancity.com and our official app.

*Excluding Israel, Australia and Mexico.

Next Fixture

All fixtures

Wed 03 Mar

UEFA Women's Champions League

Man City

16:45

GMT

Fiorentina

Get involved!

We miss seeing you guys at the Academy Stadium! You can get involved from home on matchday by:

• Tweet the Academy Stadium big screen with your messages as the team warm up using #CityBigScreen. The Champions League is back at the Academy Stadium, so let’s get as many of your messages of support up there as possible to get behind the team as we play our first leg in the Round of 16!
• Follow the @citysquarelive Twitter and Instagram accounts to see behind the scenes on matchday and catch PA announcer Danny at the Academy Stadium, plus see your messages and shout-outs on the big screen before kick off!
• We will also have a matchday giveaway you can enter at full-time to win some Champions League training kit. Head over to the City Square Live Twitter to enter from 19:00 (UK time) after the match!
• Finally, each matchday we have a Junior Cityzen of the Match who joins the starting XI on our stadium screens at the Academy as the team is read out! They also feature in the programme and receive a City Goodie Bag, and full kit! Enter to be a Junior Cityzen of the Match for a future game on the Cityzens portal and catch the announcement for each game on the City Square Live twitter in the hour before kick-off!

RULES

For safety reasons in the wake of the pandemic, the fixture will be played behind-closed-doors.

In line with current protocols, additional balls will be placed at intervals around the pitch.

Features

#SameGoals: How to get involved

FORM GUIDE

City return to European action in superb form, having won each of our last eight FA Women’s Super League matches, the latest being an impressive 4-0 win at Birmingham on Sunday.

We secured our passage through to the last 16 of the UEFA Women’s Champions League thanks to a 5-1 aggregate victory over Goteborg FC in the round of 32 in December.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE OFFICIAL MAN CITY PODCAST

Fiorentina will be hoping to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.

The Italian side eliminated Slavia Praha 3-2 on aggregate in the Round of 32, thanks to Daniele Sabatino’s late strike.

In the Women’s Serie A, Fiorentina had been on an impressive run of form and had been unbeaten in the league during 2021 before succumbing to a 2-0 defeat against Florentia at the weekend.

Interviews

Cityzens press conference: Fans quiz Aoife Mannion

TEAM NEWS

City have received a boost ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Fiorentina with the news Janine Beckie is back in contention.

The Canada star missed Sunday’s 4-0 win over Birmingham with fatigue and a slight calf strain, following the SheBelieves Cup, but the boss revealed she will be available for the midweek Round of 16 first leg clash.

Taylor also explained he has no new injury concerns with Keira Walsh, Demi Stokes and Gemma Bonner still doubtful as they recover from injury.

GARETH TAYLOR PREVIEW

“There are a lot of really good teams at this stage – the last 16.

“It’s a good opportunity for us to progress. We know they’re a difficult team to play against.

“It’s not over after the first leg. We won’t look further than that – you can’t in this competition. You can make the mistake of not performing on the day.

“We have to focus on this game and then the second game and make sure we progress, giving ourselves the best chance.”

LAST MEETING

This will be our first ever meeting with the Italian side.

LAST TIME OUT

City maintained our magnificent run of form with an emphatic 4-0 WSL win against Birmingham City in a match played at St George’s Park.

Sam Mewis, making her first appearance since December, netted five minutes either side of half-time, as Taylor’s side moved to within two points of league leaders Chelsea, capitalising on our game in hand.

Lauren Hemp and Caroline Weir added gloss to the scoreline after the break to continue our impressive streak, with the visitors showcasing another ruthless display of our title credentials with a clinical second-half performance.