Barcelona lose Irene Paredes before trip to HB Koge

Barcelona will be without Irene Paredes for their trip to HB Koge on Thursday in the third round of the Champions League league phase. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00. The club has announced that the defender will be unavailable: she has a myofibrillar injury to the biceps femoris in her left thigh, and her recovery is estimated at three weeks.

The absence is a major setback for Pere Romeu ahead of the trip to Denmark. The reigning champions are targeting a third consecutive win in the competition. They go into the fixture with six points from six and will look to maintain their perfect record. HB Koge also arrive after a win, having beaten Servette 5-1. Barcelona, meanwhile, defeated Granada in their most recent match.

The game will be played at Capelli Sport Stadion de Koge. It will be Barcelona’s first fixture since the Ballon d’Or ceremony, where the club featured prominently among the award recipients. The squad received numerous honours, with Cata Coll, Pere Romeu, Vicky López and the team among those recognised. Romeu was also named best coach.

Barcelona’s domestic form offers further context, though the immediate focus is on Europe. In La Liga, the club lead the table with 27 points after ten matches, with nine wins, no draws and one defeat. They have scored 40 goals and conceded 11 across that run. In their last five league matches, they have recorded four wins and one loss.

Before the match, Pere Romeu and Renee van Asten are due to speak to the media at 19:30 at the Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers hotel. Barcelona will then aim to continue their European winning run without Paredes, whose expected absence removes an important presence from their defence.