BARCELONA, Spain -- Barcelona will hope to win a seventh successive Liga F title this season, as well as add a fourth UEFA Women's Champions League crown in six years to their trophy cabinet, but this year they face an uphill battle.

Coach Pere Romeu has maintained the nucleus of the side which lost last season's Champions League final to Arsenal , but he has seen the squad's depth stripped by six major departures in recent weeks, including Sweden international Fridolina Rolfö (to Manchester United ) and young Spain defender Jana Fernández (to London City Lionesses ).

The Spanish champions now have only 17 first-team players registered ahead of Saturday's Liga F opener against newly promoted Alhama , and any injuries could hurt their season before it even really beg

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