Uefa Women's Champions League: Swansea City 'more prepared than ever'
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Katy Hosford made her debut for Swansea City in 2013
Swansea City will have to "step it up" when they play in the Women's Champions League says midfielder Katy Hosford.
The Welsh champions have travelled to Greece and will face hosts PAOK Thessaloniki in the First Round on Thursday.
The winners will face Ferencváros or Rangers for a place in the second round.
"The experience we've got now in our team, we kind of know what to expect," she said.
"We do well year in, year out in our league and then you go and play in the Champions League and it's another level altogether.
"You can never prepare enough for these types of competitions but we know we've got to step it up when we go out there.
"I think this year we're more prepared than ever."
Swansea won their fifth Welsh title last season but have never advanced beyond the qualifying round in the Champions League.
Ceri Phillips will be in charge of the team for the first time having succeeded Jon Beale as head coach.
Swansea City celebrate winning last season's Adran Premier
Hosford said the recent UK heatwave has given them a taste of the conditions they will experience in Greece this week.
"We played Portsmouth away and it was boiling so in terms of preparation and trying to acclimatise we haven't done too bad the last few weeks," Hosford told BBC Radio Wales Sport.
"We've had a good pre-season and everyone's buzzing to go now.
"We've had such a good preparation and got lots more experience in our camp now.
"Fingers crossed we can do the job on Thursday and whoever we face in the second game we'll be as prepared as we can be."
Swansea's Genero Adran Premier season begins on 4 September against last season's runners-up Cardiff Met.
The game will be held at the Swansea.com Stadium, the first time Swansea City Ladies will have played there.
"It's been a long time coming," Hosford added.
"It's been in the pipeline for a while and to play our first game against a really good team in Cardiff Met will be exciting.
"It's nothing less than the team deserves. To go out and play on the Swansea pitch is a dream come true for most of us."