SCU Torreense, a club from the small Portuguese city of Torres Vedras (population 19,000), will make their Women's Champions League debut next season after finishing third in the BPI League. The team, whose stadium holds just 2,431 spectators, have already won the Taça da Liga and Supertaça this season, adding to last year's Taça de Portugal triumph.
Captain Carolina Correia, a 24-year-old Portuguese international defender, expressed pride in the team's achievements. 'These have been incredible times, we made history with Torreense,' she said. 'Looking back to my first days at the club, I would never have believed I'd have three trophies and a spot in the Champions League.'
Torreense have emerged as a force alongside traditional powerhouses Benfica, Sporting and Braga, all of whom have featured in the Champions League recently. The team started the season inconsistently but grew stronger, securing a key 2-0 win over Sporting in March.
Correia has also been called up to the Portugal national team for World Cup qualifiers against Latvia and Finland. She credited experienced teammates like Ana Borges for helping her grow, and cited Barcelona defenders Mapi León and Irene Paredes, as well as Manchester City's Rúben Dias, as inspirations.
The men's team will also play in Europe after winning the Taça de Portugal, though they will host matches at the Estádio do Algarve, 200 miles away, due to capacity issues. The women's side has yet to confirm their venue, but Correia believes the club's unity will be key. 'I think what defines us is that we are a really united team, on and off the pitch,' she said.
