After knocking out Racing Football Club Union Luxembourg and Kiryat Gat in Round 1 of the Champions League, Juventus Women face the last obstacle on the path to the group stages. The opponent drawn out of the urn September 1st are the Danes Køge HB. Just like the first round, Round 2 is also played home and away, with the first leg scheduled for tomorrow, 20 September at 18:00 CEST in Denmark.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about Danish opposition past and present.
KØGE
Køge are the reigning Danish champions after clinching three league titles in as many seasons. The club, whose full name is Herfølge Boldklub Køge, was founded in 2009 from the merger of two clubs, Køge Boldklub and Herfølge Boldklub, both of whom had succeeded in winning the national title.
In 2019-20 they won the second division and were promoted to the Elitedivisionen, triumphing at their first attempt and repeating the success in last season. At the moment the team coached by Søren Randa-Boldt sit top of the table with full points from five matches, having scored 14 goal and conceded just three.
The top scorer, with five goals to her name, is Cecilie Fløe Nielsen. The 20 year old finished top of the scoring charts for the team also last season, when she made her debut in the senior national team as a substitute for Juve's Sofie Junge Pedersen. US-born Republic of Ireland international Kyra Taylor Carusa was second top scorer and was voted the league's player of the year, and forms part of Køge's potent attack.
IN EUROPE
Also last season Køge entered the UWCL at the second round, when they defeated Sparta Prague both home and away. In the group stage, the Danes, drawn in Group C with Barcelona, Arsenal and Hoffenheim, finished last without a point, conceding 22 goals, scoring just twice.
LAST TIME IN DENMARK
Juventus Women have already played in Denmark, their Women's Champions League debut in season 2018/19 against Brøndby. A Barbara Bonansea double had tied the first leg in Turin, only for the Danish team to win the return match 1-0.
The Juventus team that played that fixture four years ago was: Giuliani; Hyyrynen, Gama, Salvai, Sikora (53' Boattin); Galli, Cernoia (59' Glionna), Ekroth; Aluko (77' Sanderson), Girelli, Bonansea.
ROUND 2 ONE YEAR AGO
In the 2021/22 Women's Champions League Round 2, Juventus Women eliminated Albanian outfit Vllaznia. Passage to the group stage was all but assured following the 2-0 victory in the first leg in Albania with Lina Hurtig and Cristiana Girelli on target. Qualification was secured with a 1-0 win at home. The 3-0 aggregate success allowed the Bianconere to participate in the first ever UWCL group stages.