Women’s Champions League: A Thrilling Finale Awaits

The inaugural league phase of the Women’s Champions League is gearing up for an exhilarating conclusion as teams compete for a coveted spot in the knockout stage.

Barcelona, last year’s runners-up, currently leads the pack, closely followed by the record eight-time champions, Lyon. Meanwhile, Manchester United, making their debut in the main draw, heads the trio of Women’s Super League teams.

The top four teams will automatically secure places in the quarter-finals, while the next eight teams, ranked fifth to twelfth, will engage in two-legged playoffs to determine who advances.

Manchester United is among five teams that have already assured themselves at least a playoff position, joining Barcelona, Lyon, Wolfsburg, and Bayern Munich.

This article will delve into the performances of the three English clubs thus far on the continental stage and what lies ahead.

Holders Arsenal have faced considerable challenges in this season’s Champions League, with results and performances falling short of the heightened expectations following their stunning victory over Barcelona in last May’s final.

After suffering an opening-night defeat to Lyon and a disappointing collapse against Bayern Munich, Arsenal managed a vital comeback win against Real Madrid, thanks to two goals from Alessia Russo. These outcomes leave the European champions in eighth place, with six points from four matches played. They are, however, well-positioned to contend for one of the playoff spots, especially with their upcoming fixtures against teams currently in the elimination zone—Dutch side Twente and Belgian outfit Leuven.

Chelsea’s pursuit of their first Champions League title has produced a mixed bag of results. They stumbled initially with a lackluster draw against Dutch champions Twente but rebounded convincingly by defeating Paris FC and securing a comprehensive 6-0 win over St. Polten. This was followed by a commendable 1-1 draw against Barcelona. After four matches, Chelsea sits in sixth place, just outside the top four, but their momentum and confidence are undoubtedly on the rise.

In their next match, Chelsea will host Roma before heading to Germany to face two-time champions Wolfsburg in a crucial encounter that may determine their path to automatic qualification.

Manchester United’s early campaign was marked by triumph, winning their first three matches against Valerenga, Atletico Madrid, and Paris St-Germain, while conceding only one goal. Unfortunately, their progress hit a roadblock on matchday four with a heavy 5-2 defeat to Wolfsburg. This defeat marked their third loss in four matches across all competitions, and the team is currently grappling with issues related to squad depth, impacting their ability to compete on multiple fronts.

With nine points from four games, Manchester United occupies fourth place in the standings, which would secure them automatic qualification to the quarter-finals. However, significant improvements will be necessary to maintain that position. Upcoming matches include a home fixture against Lyon and an away match against Italian giants Juventus.

As the league phase concludes, all teams have two matches remaining—one at home and one away. The points accumulated after matchday six will ultimately determine their final standings. Teams ranked from 13th to 18th will be eliminated from the competition.

Currently, Manchester United would qualify automatically for the quarter-finals, while Arsenal and Chelsea would need to go into the playoffs. However, with only four points separating United in fourth place and Paris FC in twelfth, the race is still very much alive.

For added excitement, all nine matches on matchday six, scheduled for December 17, will kick off simultaneously at 20:00 GMT, ensuring that standings can change until the very last moments of the league phase.

Listeners can also tune in to the Women’s Football Weekly podcast featuring Ben Haines, Ellen White, and Jen Beattie, with new episodes released every Tuesday on BBC Sounds. Additional interviews and content related to the Women’s Super League and beyond can be found on the Women’s Football Weekly feed.