Liverpool will begin their long build-up to the first Super League season with a visit to Atlético Madrid for a friendly on Saturday that will further strengthen the relationship between Anfield and the Estadio Vicente Calderón.
The men's teams have met several times during the past two seasons, with Liverpool having also signed Fernando Torres and Maxi Rodríguez from the Spanish club.
"The invitation to play the game came from Atlético," said the Liverpool manager, Robbie Johnson. "They seem keen to keep the good relations between the two clubs going and it gives us the chance to test ourselves against foreign opposition. Their league [Superliga Femenina] starts in a couple of weeks so this will probably be their last pre-season game and our first.
"We've put together a decent program of friendlies, including a trip to Dublin to play the Irish champions [St Francis] and to Glasgow to play [the Scottish champions] Glasgow City at the end of their season in November.
"But it's a strange time at the moment, with the Super League not starting until March and teams just training and getting what friendlies they can. It's giving us the opportunity to add to our playing squad, which I feel still needs strengthening to go into the Super League, but I don't think there'll be any real momentum until the early part of next year. So it's a bit frustrating all-round."
While the eight Super League clubs are kicking their heels the reconstituted Premier League is up and running, with Nottingham Forest becoming the first clear leaders with a 2-1 win against Millwall Lionesses today. Their captain, Beth Bailey, hit a late winner.
Blackburn Rovers and Leeds United are in joint second-place, two points adrift of Forest. Rovers won 2-1 at Reading while Leeds had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Barnet.
Watford held Sunderland to a 1-1 draw despite having their goalkeeper, Lauren Davey, sent off for the 32nd-minute foul which led to the penalty from which the midfielder Kelly McDougall scored the equaliser.
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