The pathway to the Women's Champions League final in Oslo has been set, with the draw for the knockout stages presenting the tantalising prospect of an all-English quarter-final between Arsenal and Chelsea.
Potential London Derby Headlines Draw
Arsenal, the defending champions, will face Chelsea in the last eight if they successfully navigate their knockout phase playoff tie against OH Leuven. The Gunners laid a strong foundation for that two-legged clash with a commanding 3-0 away victory over the Belgian side on Wednesday, thanks to goals from Olivia Smith and Beth Mead, plus an own goal.
In the opposite half of the draw, Manchester United discovered their potential opponents. Should Marc Skinner's side progress past Atlético Madrid in their playoff, they would meet German giants Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals. United secured a narrow 1-0 win against Atlético in the league phase back in October, a match that saw both teams reduced to ten players.
New Format and Key Fixtures
Under the competition's new format, the top four sides from the league phase – Barcelona, OL Lyonnes, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich – earned automatic passage to the quarter-finals. The next eight teams, including Arsenal and Manchester United, enter the playoffs.
The first legs of the playoffs are scheduled for 11 or 12 February, with the return fixtures on 18 or 19 February. As seeded teams, both Arsenal and Manchester United will play the decisive second legs at home. The quarter-finals are set to begin in March.
Other notable playoff ties include a fascinating encounter between Wolfsburg and Juventus, with the winner set to face the record eight-time champions, OL Lyonnes. Meanwhile, Real Madrid will take on Paris FC for the right to meet Barcelona in a potential Spanish clásico quarter-final.
Road to the Final in Oslo
The draw has mapped out the entire route to the final on 23 May. Arsenal or Chelsea could face Lyon in the semi-finals, while the other half of the bracket could see a clash between Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
All three English clubs avoided the top two ranked sides, Barcelona and Lyon, until at least the semi-finals, a benefit secured by their crucial away wins in the final league phase matches. Chelsea confirmed their top-four spot with a comeback victory at Wolfsburg on Wednesday.
The stage is now set for a thrilling conclusion to the European season, with several classic rivalries potentially awaiting in the latter stages.
