The Women’s Champions League quarter-finals kick off this week, featuring three English clubs—Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester City—vying for a spot in the last four.
Chelsea and City face off in Manchester in an all-English showdown, while Arsenal travel to Spain to take on Real Madrid.
With Chelsea and City set to meet four times in just 13 days—including a League Cup final and a Women’s Super League (WSL) clash—the intensity of their rivalry is at an all-time high.
So what are the key storylines for these quarter-finals? Here’s a breakdown of the teams and what to expect.
Chelsea: A Seamless Transition Under Bompastor
Following Emma Hayes' highly successful 12-year tenure, new Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor had big shoes to fill. But the transition has been almost flawless.
Unbeaten in her first 28 games in charge, the French coach has led Chelsea to 26 wins and just two draws, keeping their quadruple hopes alive. After securing the League Cup with a 2-1 win over City, the Blues remain on course for a sixth consecutive WSL title and are still in the FA Cup semi-finals.
The Champions League remains the one major trophy missing from Chelsea’s collection, but Bompastor brings plenty of experience—having won the competition twice as a player and guiding Lyon to the title as a coach in 2022.
Chelsea have further bolstered their squad, adding Champions League winners Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh from Barcelona, as well as world-record signing Naomi Girma to strengthen their backline.
Manchester City: A Make-or-Break Campaign
After narrowly missing out on the WSL title last season due to goal difference, Manchester City’s current domestic campaign has been frustrating.
The club made a bold decision to sack manager Gareth Taylor ahead of their crucial four-game stretch against Chelsea, bringing back former boss Nick Cushing on an interim basis.
Currently fourth in the WSL and 12 points behind Chelsea with six matches left, City’s best hopes for silverware lie in the Champions League and FA Cup—though both routes could be blocked by their London rivals.
Cushing previously guided City to two Champions League semi-finals. To reach a third, they’ll need to find a way past a dominant Chelsea side.
Arsenal: Chasing European Glory Once Again
Arsenal remains the only English club to have lifted the Women’s Champions League trophy, but that triumph dates back to 2007. Since then, they haven’t reached the final.
Their group stage campaign started shakily with a 5-2 defeat to Bayern Munich, marking Jonas Eidevall’s penultimate match before stepping down as head coach.
However, under new boss Renée Slegers, Arsenal have rediscovered their form—winning five consecutive group-stage games with a combined score of 15-4 to top Group C.
Slegers has transformed Arsenal into a formidable force, securing 18 wins in her first 22 matches.
Real Madrid, Arsenal’s quarter-final opponents, have never reached the Champions League semi-finals, making this a favorable draw for the Gunners. The Spanish side remains in the shadow of Barcelona domestically, while Chelsea comfortably beat them twice in the group stage.
Can Anyone Stop Europe’s Powerhouses?
For nearly a decade, the Women’s Champions League has been dominated by just two clubs—Lyon and Barcelona. The last team to break their stranglehold was Frankfurt in 2015.
Barcelona is chasing a third consecutive title after defeating Lyon 2-0 in last season’s final. However, they have shown vulnerability, suffering group-stage losses to Manchester City and an upset against Liga F underdogs Levante.
Lyon, on the other hand, remain a formidable force. The eight-time Champions League winners have been unbeaten this season—apart from a penalty shootout defeat to Reims in the Coupe de France.
Under new boss Joe Montemurro, Lyon has won 21 of their 23 matches, conceding just one goal in six European games.
With Barcelona and Lyon once again the favorites, the big question is: can any team break their dominance?
Road to the Final
The quarter-final draw, held on February 7, outlined the path to the final.
- The winners of Wolfsburg vs. Barcelona will face the winners of Manchester City vs. Chelsea in the semi-finals.
- The winners of Real Madrid vs. Arsenal will take on the winners of Bayern Munich vs. Lyon.
Champions League Quarter-Final Fixtures
All times in GMT.
First Leg
📅 March 18 🔹 17:45 – Real Madrid vs. Arsenal 🔹 20:00 – Bayern Munich vs. Lyon
📅 March 19 🔹 17:45 – Wolfsburg vs. Barcelona 🔹 20:00 – Manchester City vs. Chelsea
Second Leg
📅 March 26 🔹 17:45 – Lyon vs. Bayern Munich 🔹 20:00 – Arsenal vs. Real Madrid
📅 March 27 🔹 17:45 – Barcelona vs. Wolfsburg 🔹 20:00 – Chelsea vs. Manchester City
Semi-Finals
📅 First leg: April 19-20 📅 Second leg: April 26-27
Final
📅 Saturday, May 24