Atlético Femenino update: Competitive side gunning for UWCL return

In our final Atlético Madrid Femenino recap, we wrote in regards to the competitiveness that coach Oscar Fernandez needed to revive on this staff.

Twelve video games into the brand new home marketing campaign, Atlético Madrid look set for an necessary season, which might elevate them again into European soccer.

Fernández’s side is presently battling out with Actual Sociedad for second place in Liga Iberdrola, which is equal to the primary place in a league with out dominant Barcelona. The Catalans are already flexing their muscle groups with an ideal 36 factors from 12 fixtures and a staggering +69 purpose distinction.

(For the file, Atlético have already misplaced 3-0 to this Barcelona staff, with two late targets dashing Atleti’s hopes of a optimistic end result.)

Atletico sit third on 24 factors, trailing much-improved Actual Sociedad by three factors. La Actual received the season’s first head-to-head assembly 1-0 through Nerea Eizagurre’s 93rd minute penalty.

Picture by Diego Souto/High quality Sport Photographs/Getty Photographs

Atlético rebounded following that defeat, securing a 3-0 win away at Eibar and a 2-1 conquer common contenders Levante final weekend. Amanda Tounkara and Barbara Latorre grabbed the targets in a vital encounter.

Within the final 10 league video games, Atlético have recorded 18 factors through 5 wins and three attracts. The subsequent run of video games will see them face Sevilla, Actual Betis and Athletic Membership de Bilbao earlier than they are going to launch the brand new 12 months with a derby in opposition to Real Madrid.

The membership is already specializing in strengthening the squad in an effort to return to the UEFA Girls’s Champions League subsequent season.

Extremely-rated teenaged defender Hanna Lundkvist has signed a contract to June 2024 after making the swap to Madrid from Hammarby. The membership additionally prolonged its marriage with Merel van Dongen, with the Dutch defender renewing her deal until 2024 as properly.

“I really feel very completely happy to signal with such knowledgeable membership and I’m very excited to start out,” Lundkvist instructed Atlético’s official web site.

Van Dongen’s renewal has extra shifting elements and can see her tackle an energetic position off the pitch. She shall be extra concerned in Atlético Madrid’s actions as an envoy for the membership’s worldwide initiatives, together with an growth of the academy’s international attain.

This place will allow van Dongen to supervise sporting improvement programmes referring to each the lads’s and girls’s groups. She may even community with worldwide firms and sponsors that can increase Atlético’s profile and model.

Picture by Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Photographs

One other participant who has determined to increase her keep on the membership is younger goalkeeper Paula Vizoso. The 20-year-old academy product is presently the third-choice goalkeeper behind Hedvig Lindahl and Lola Gallardo. Lindahl’s contract expires subsequent summer season, whereas Gallardo’s deal runs till 2023.

On the harm entrance, Argentine ahead Estefania Banini has began her restoration from a critical knee harm following a profitable surgical procedure. The 31-year-old has been sidelined because the finish of October.

To wrap up this recap, there’s nothing higher than some optimistic vibes from none aside from the courageous, inimitable Virginia Torrecilla. The Atlético midfielder and mind most cancers survivor posted a new image during which she is donning the membership’s colors. A return to the sphere may even occur within the close to future, in accordance with some Spanish studies.

We are able to’t wait to see Virginia again in motion.