Manchester City back in Women's Champions League with trophy in their sights, says Greenwood
Manchester City back in Women's Champions League with trophy in their sights, says Greenwood
Manchester City return to the Women's Champions League this week after a season on the sidelines, and defender Alex Greenwood has made the club's ambitions crystal clear: they are back to lift the trophy.
City missed out on last season's competition but booked their return by winning the Women's Super League title in 2025-26. Under head coach Andree Jeglertz, who enjoyed a stellar first season in charge, the champions have started their title defence in fine form — winning all three of their opening league games.
Attention now turns to Europe, with City travelling to face Bayern Munich in their opening group fixture on Tuesday. It marks the first time City have faced a German side in the Champions League.
Greenwood, a veteran of the competition, told UEFA's website that qualifying was never in doubt given the expectations at the club — but insisted City are in it to win it.
"To qualify was massively important; it's an expectation that we have at this football club. But every competition that we play in, we're there to win."
She added: "We know it's going to be a challenge, but it's fantastic for the club. We're going to give it absolutely everything, like we do in every other competition, take it game by game and see how far we can go."
A steep opening test in Munich
The Opta supercomputer rates City as the fourth-most likely side to win the competition, with a 9.1% probability — a long way short of outright favourites Barcelona, who are given a 41.2% chance.
Bayern, meanwhile, will provide a formidable first hurdle. The German champions have won seven of their previous 11 matches against English teams in the competition (losing four), including both legs of last season's quarter-final against Manchester United.
City also carry mixed memories from their last European campaign in 2024-25, when they lost their final two away games by 3-0 scorelines to Barcelona and Chelsea respectively.
'An elite mindset'
Greenwood, however, is relishing the challenge and believes the squad's mentality has shifted over the past 18 months.
"I've played in this competition enough times to know what it presents and what the challenges are. We worked really hard to get back in this competition where I think we belong. I'm just excited to embrace the challenge."
"Champions League, Women's Super League, whatever competition we're in, we're in it with a real elite mindset to go and win, and that's been our mentality for the last 18 months," she said.
City will hope that elite mindset is enough to navigate a tricky opener in Munich and set the tone for a deep run in this season's competition.