Bayern Munich's Swede Eriksson set to shine as Frauen-Bundesliga begins

STOCKHOLM: Bayern Munich's Sweden defender Magdalena Eriksson has said the move to Germany with her Danish partner and team mate Pernille Harder has turned back the clock as they prepare to play at SC Freiburg on Friday (Sep 15) when the Frauen Bundesliga gets underway.

Eriksson and Harder were the subject of media speculation on their next destination after saying they would leave English Women's Super League club Chelsea earlier this year, eventually announcing on Jun 1 that Munich would be their new home.

"It's been an intense two weeks, week and a half (since arriving), it's been a lot to process and a lot of German lessons as well," the 30-year-old Eriksson told reporters in an online briefing by the pair ahead of the season's start.

"It's been really good, I'm really excited. It's like I'm 10 years younger again, like a new kid coming to class in school, and it's a good experience for me," added the former Chelsea captain, fresh from picking up a bronze medal at the World Cup.

Harder, also 30, is no stranger to the Bundesliga after a successful spell at VfL Wolfsburg that led to Chelsea paying a reported £250,000 (US$310,300.00) to take her to England.

After playing as a striker and playmaker for Denmark at the World Cup, where they lost in the last 16 to hosts Australia, Harder said she hoped to feature in something of a hybrid role for reigning champions Bayern.

"I think everybody knows that I like to play as an offensive midfielder but I can both get the balls at my feet and also run deep, so I like to do both," she said.

Bayern pipped Harder's former club Wolfsburg to the title by two points last season and, though neither Harder nor Eriksson have won the Champions league in their otherwise glittering careers, they