Seraina Piubel has insisted her West Ham United women’s team cannot wait for the start of the Barclays Women’s Super League season on Sunday, which sees them travel to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Rehanne Skinner’s side will get their 2025/26 journey underway at the Lilywhites, with kick-off at 12noon, hoping to use the momentum gained from the second half of last season to build on a ninth-place finish in the top flight.
Over the course of pre-season, the Hammers flexed their muscles both abroad and against their divisional rivals, and impressed in their friendlies, with forward Piubel netting two goals in a 3-0 success at Liverpool in August.
Facing Tottenham Hotspur brings back happy memories for Piubel, who scored in an enjoyable 2-1 Subway® Women's League Cup quarter-final success at BetWright Stadium in January, capping off a scintillating counter-attack with a first-time finish. She also came on as a second-half substitute to help the Hammers secure a 2-0 victory over Spurs at Chigwell Construction Stadium in March.
So naturally, the Switzerland international and her side are relishing the opportunity to strike an opening-day victory in their rivals’ backyard.
“I’m very excited for the start of the season,” said Piubel. “It was a long pre-season, a long summer break, so I’m very happy that it starts this weekend!
“We had a lot of pre-season games and performed really well in them, kept clean sheets, and those are important things. We are confident, we know what we can do, so Sunday will be a good derby.
“Against Tottenham, it’s always a good game and we have good memories from playing against them. At their stadium, we won in the League Cup last season, so I will go into the game with those memories.
“A lot of people will be there because of the derby and because it’s the first game of the season, so I’m really excited for the game.”
Last term was the 25-year-old’s first season in Claret and Blue, and first season in the WSL after she brought an end to a ten-year stay at FC Zürich in her native Switzerland last summer.
Piubel featured in every game across all competitions under Skinner, from which she yielded three goals and two assists. Having formed connections with her fellow attackers over the season, Piubel hopes to better that record in the upcoming campaign.
“This year I have no excuses,” she said. “I’m not new to the league, so there’s a little bit of pressure, but I will enjoy the season. I know the teams and I know my team. I hope I can score more goals and give my teammates more assists.
“When you have the trust from the coach and the coaching staff, it’s really important. Last season was my first year abroad, so I was a little bit nervous at the beginning, but my teammates, the staff and Rehanne [Skinner] made it so easy for me.”
From the moment she stepped through the doors of Chadwell Heath training ground, Piubel was welcomed into the squad with open arms, and she described the Club as a ‘family’.
This summer, it was her turn to make the new arrivals feel at home, including fellow Switzerland international Leila Wandeler, who recently signed from Première Ligue outfit OL Lyonnes.
“It’s great to have Leila here!” Piubel continued. “We haven’t known each other for a long time, but she’s a Swiss girl - [so there’s] one more [in the squad], which is nice! She’s a lovely person, a very good talent, which is great for us.
“We went to Prague with a lot of the new players and we’ve had time to welcome everyone in, and now we can’t wait for the season to begin.”
Viewers inside the United Kingdom can watch Sunday’s opener against Spurs on Sky Sports +. Or, you can keep up to date with the game via the live blog on whufc.com and by following our social media channels.
