Emily Keogh
Women’s Super League (WSL) golden boot holder Khadija “Bunny” Shaw will miss out on the first leg of Manchester City‘s Champions League qualifying match against Paris FC on Wednesday due to a visa issue, a source told ESPN.
The Guardian first reported Shaw’s expected absence, revealing the Jamaican international has not travelled to France following the issue, adding that the club reportedly sent Shaw to the French embassy in search of an emergency visa but the request for an expedited application was denied.
City have not reached the Champions League group stage since the 2021-22 season. Last campaign, they finished fourth in the WSL, one place outside the qualifying positions. In both of the two seasons prior, they crashed out in the qualifying rounds to Real Madrid.
Despite City’s impressive summer transfer window — including adding the WSL record top scorer Vivianne Miedema from Arsenal on a free transfer — Shaw’s absence will be felt, having led City’s attack for the past two seasons.
The 27-year-old became City women’s all-time leading scorer last season, surpassing Georgia Stanway’s 64 goals.
She also collected the golden boot award for 22 goals in 18 games and was named WSL player of the season, the Professional Footballers’ Association’s women’s footballer of the year and the Football Writers’ Association’s women’s footballer of the year last campaign despite missing the final month of the season through injury.
Paris FC knocked Arsenal and Wolfsburg out of the continental competition in the qualifying rounds last term and finished third in Group D ahead of Real Madrid. The pair meet on Wednesday at Stade Charlety in Paris before City travel to face Arsenal on Sunday to open their WSL campaign.