Wrexham boss Jenny Sugarman says her side will relish the opportunity to make more history when they face Armenian side FC Pyunik in the UEFA Women’s Champions League on Wednesday evening (KO 19:00 BST).
The first qualifying round semi-final marks Wrexham’s first-ever fixture in European competition, and Sugarman wants her players to embrace every moment.
“We can’t get lost in all the preparation and all the details of a football match and forget that this is historic. It’s an incredible opportunity for us,” she said.
“I don’t think many of us have experienced this before. We’ve got a couple of players – Sarah Harvey has played in Champions League qualifiers before, and Jodie has experienced them with Celtic – but for the majority of us, this is the first time we’ve been on this stage.
“One thing we’ve spoken about as a group is enjoying the moment. We firmly believe that if we enjoy what we’re doing, we’ll probably perform better. We’ve got to enjoy the preparation and the performance in these big games.
Wrexham v FC Pyunik
Preview Wednesday night’s encounter
“As a club, we know we’re pretty low-ranked. We’re more than happy to embrace the underdog mentality and fight from the first whistle to the last. But we also have confidence and belief. We’re in the Champions Path, and that sounds pretty cool as well, doesn’t it? When you’re playing in the best club competition in the world and you’re in the Champions Path, you’ve got to embrace that opportunity.
“For me personally, these will be the biggest games of my career. We should all enjoy this moment.”
Wrexham earned their place in Europe following the most successful season in the club’s history. After lifting the Genero Adran Trophy in February, the Red Dragons went on to secure their first-ever Genero Adran Premier title the following month, clinching the title with victory over Cardiff City at the Racecourse.
The club have since enjoyed an earlier pre-season than usual, including a trip to Cork as part of their European preparations. Sugarman has strengthened her squad ahead of the campaign, with five new arrivals joining the club this summer.
Among those arrivals is Mikayla Cook, a statement signing from Cardiff City who has played in the UEFA Women’s Champions League in each of the last three seasons. Meanwhile, Jamaican international Natasha Thomas comes in after 11 years at Ipswich Town where she became the club’s record appearance maker and all-time top scorer.
New goalkeeper Lucy Farrell, who was called up to the Cymru senior squad in April, provides competition for Liz Craven between the sticks, while Lydia Sallaway, on loan from Aston Villa, and former Cymru U19 international Bella Reidford have further bolstered Sugarman’s squad over the last week.
“I’m incredibly happy with where the squad is looking,” Sugarman admitted. “It was always important for us, with these Champions League fixtures coming so early, to get people through the door as early as possible so we could give them the best chance to be physically ready to compete and also to integrate them.
“We’re very purposeful with our recruitment. It’s about finding good footballers and the right footballers to fit into our system, but more importantly, it’s about finding the right people.
“They’ve all settled in really quickly. Some have been with us for a number of weeks now, while others, like Lydia and Tasha, have joined more recently. We’re really happy with where the squad is at the moment.”
Wrexham’s Champions League debut will also mark a significant milestone for women’s football in north Wales. They will become only the second women’s side from the region to compete in European competition, following Bangor City during the 2002/03 season.
It comes after a period of limited Welsh success in Europe, with seven years having passed since a Genero Adran Premier side last recorded a victory in continental competition. Swansea City remain the last Welsh club to score in UEFA competition, having done so back in 2021.
While Wrexham have never faced FC Pyunik before, Sugarman and her staff have spent weeks analysing the Armenian champions, who won all 18 league matches on their way to a third consecutive domestic title last season, while scoring 107 goals and conceding just eight.
“We’ve done as much profiling as we can. We’ve got what we’ve got, which is previous Champions League campaigns. We’ve also done our research on key individuals who play for the national team and gathered whatever information we can access.
“One of the key things about our team is that we’re adaptable. We want to be good at problem-solving and decision-making in games. The information is there to help prepare them, but then they’ve got to react to what’s actually happening on the pitch.
“We expect a confident side. Eighteen wins from eighteen is a formidable record in Armenia, and they’ll be riding high off the back of that. However, we believe that, with the players we have and the setup we’ll put out tomorrow, we’ll be able to get the result that takes us into the final.”
Wrexham v FC Pyunik
Wednesday 22 July, 19:00. The Racecourse.
Wednesday’s semi-final is the first of two matches required to keep Wrexham’s European journey alive, with the winners progressing to Saturday’s first qualifying round final and the losers meeting in the third-place play-off.
The Racecourse will host the historic encounter, as well as the other semi-final in Group 3 earlier on Wednesday, with Glentoran of Northern Ireland facing Latvia’s Riga FC at 1pm.
“Progression actually means getting through two games, so it’s a tough qualifying process,” Sugarman said. “We’re not just looking at one game. Obviously, we take one game at a time, and you don’t get the chance to compete for the one place that goes through to the second qualifying round if you don’t do the business in your first match.
“Making history is something this football club does well. Breaking glass ceilings is important to us. Success isn’t just about winning football matches. It’s about representing Wales on the European stage, bringing European football to north Wales and to Wrexham, and showcasing the talent that the Adran Premier has.”
Wrexham are set to be backed by great home support on the night and Sugarman believes playing in front of the Racecourse crowd could make all the difference.
“As soon as we qualified, it was clear that the ambition of the club, the ownership and the senior leadership was that we wanted to host these games,” she continued. “We wanted to bring European football back to the STōK Cae Ras. It’s a stadium with huge history, both internationally and domestically.
“Wherever we’d have been drawn – Latvia, Armenia or Northern Ireland – I know our supporters would have travelled. They’d have found flights and they’d have been there. But to play on our home ground, in front of our home supporters, is a massive boost. You saw that in the title decider against Cardiff last season.
“The crowd is so important, especially when games are tight and you’re trying to shift momentum. A goal, a tackle, a save, a chance – those moments are lifted by the noise from the crowd.
“We’re excited that people of all ages, whether they’re five or 95, will hopefully be inspired by the incredible women representing Wrexham on Wednesday and Saturday.”
