Darbyshire's pride despite heavy Champions League defeat
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Manager Iain Darbyshire says Cardiff City Women can be “so proud” despite their heavy defeat to FC Twente in the Champions League first qualifying round.
The Bluebirds were beaten 7-0 by the Dutch champions in Enschede on Wednesday.
But Darbyshire insisted the Adran Premier champions could have done no more.
“I'm so proud of the players,” he told the club’s website.
“For 70 minutes, we were competing and we were in the game against a team that are one of the best in Europe.
“They played Ajax last weekend and beat them very comfortably and they're full time professionals, full of international talent.”
Cardiff have lost some key players this summer, with a number of younger players coming into the club as they prepare for the new Adran Premier season.
Darbyshire says his side are “in a good position” building up to the domestic campaign.
But before their league opener, at Wrexham on 15 September, Cardiff play a third-place game as part of a Champions League mini-tournament.
The Welsh side will face North Macedonia’s FK Ljuboten this Saturday.