The Women’s Champions League is headed to the quarterfinals!
This week’s play-off round second legs meant that Arsenal, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Wolfsburg booked their places in the last eight, joining Barcelona, Bayern Munich Chelsea and OL Lyonnes.
Read on as ESPN experts Emily Keogh, Alex Kirkland and Yash Thakur offer their thoughts on some of our burning questions.
Q1: Arsenal are rewarded with a quarterfinal tie vs. Chelsea. Who do you think are favourites?
Keogh: With the Women’s Super League on the line and the risk of ending the season without the two biggest trophies available to them, I wouldn’t bet against Chelsea.
There is a decent chance that third place is the most they can manage in the WSL this season, which would only just qualify for them for next season’s Champions League. Any lower than that, and their only path to returning here next year would be to win this season’s competition. Maybe Chelsea put all their eggs in the continental basket.
There is precedent here: We saw something similar last year with Arsenal, who suffered two heavy league defeats in the run-up to the final in Lisbon. I can absolutely see Chelsea throwing everything at these quarterfinals in a bid to make this season a success.
Form will be an issue for Sonio Bompastor, though. Chelsea have struggled in recent games and things aren’t quite clicking for them. However, anything can happen over two legs. Chelsea are experienced enough as a team to know how to get over the finish line.
Kirkland: Arsenal — but only just! It’s a tough game to call: domestically, the teams drew 1-1 back in November, and then Arsenal won 2-0 last month. Chelsea are four points ahead in the WSL table, but Arsenal have two games in hand. In the Women’s Champions League, Chelsea were two points better off in the league phase, while last season, the draw kept them apart, on opposite sides of the bracket. The best guide we’ve got right now is that meeting at Stamford Bridge on Jan. 24, which Arsenal dominated, so I think it’s fair to suggest they’re favourites right now.
Thakur: It’s Chelsea’s up-and-down season that makes Arsenal favourites for me. Bompastor’s side have struggled with incisiveness in the final third and decisive actions in defence. Their back-to-back losses against Arsenal and City highlighted cracks in their style of play and Bompastor’s lack of a clear squad identity. I agree with Emily and think there is a chance they go all-out for the Champions League title.
Q2: What’s one thing Real Madrid showed this week that could scare Barcelona?
Kirkland: Honestly, I don’t think there’s anything about this Real Madrid team, or Wednesday’s game, which will scare Barcelona. “Scare” is a strong word. This Barça team have won it all, over and over again, and they have also beaten Madrid time and time again, with just one notable exception in March 2025.
Do this Madrid side look better prepared at this level this season? For sure. They’re in the Champions League quarterfinals for the second year in a row now, and in shows. And some recent Clásico meetings, like the Spanish Supercopa final last month, have been closer. Players like Caroline Weir and Caicedo are absolutely capable of hurting Barça. But there’ll be no fear, especially with the second leg of this quarterfinal to be played at Camp Nou.
Keogh: The only way I think Real Madrid can really trouble Barcelona is getting Linda Caicedo on the ball in dangerous areas. She is a world-class talent — her mix of speed, creativity and technique is outstanding — and she can force Barcelona’s defenders into mistakes. She may be all that Madrid really has that can move the needle, though.
There have been two Clásico’s this year already — Barcelona won both, scoring six goals and conceding none. History, in more ways than one, is on Barça’s side. Madrid’s best hope is to frustrate their rivals and his them on the counter attack.
Thakur: I agree that striking fear in Barcelona is difficult, but Real Madrid have challenged Barça in their meetings over the last year. Their pressing in the Clásico’s this season has been brilliant, pushing Barça back into their own third and forcing an issue. This tactical wrinkle could be the key for them in this quarterfinal matchup. Beyond that, the performances of Madrid goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez have been exceptional. Madrid have to put a lid on Barcelona’s potent attack, and Misa is the key to doing so.
Q3: How have Man United managed to make the quarters in their debut season, and can they go all the way?
Thakur: The short answer is no. United’s debut campaign has been impressive. Their defensive resolve has powered them through into the last eight, with Marc Skinner’s side keeping five clean sheets in their UWCL eight games. However, against the biggest clubs, that defensive steel has been put under pressure. Wolfsburg and OL Lyonnes each scored three or more goals against them in the league phase.
I expect United’s defence to face similar challenges against Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals and beyond. The debutants might lack the in tools to pull off their solid defensive approach consistently against tougher opponents. I don’t expect them to go all the way.
Keogh: United have been impressive, hands down. However, they’ve fallen on the favourable side of the draw so far.
Yes, they faced both easier and more experienced opponents in the league phase — they were punished by the latter — but their play-off tie was equally matched and a known opponent. This doesn’t take away from how impressive they have been, but it will likely be a different story against Bayern Munich.
It is not a sure thing that the German giants will demolish United, but this is where the real test lies for the debutants. Bayern have already beaten Arsenal, Juventus and PSG this season. They are top of the Frauen Bundesliga and have proven to be far more competitive this season than in prior campaigns. United have the ability to pressure any team and are in fine form, but I think this quarterfinal clash is where the fairytale ends for the debutants.
Kirkland: Can they go all the way? Almost certainly not. I can’t see them beating Bayern, or, if it came to it, Barcelona in the semifinals. But they’ve done well. I got to watch them in person here in Madrid back in October when they beat Atleti, and I liked what I saw in a difficult game that saw them down to 10 players but still come out on top. Atleti must be absolutely sick of playing them at this point!
It”s been a good campaign for United, and if it ends in the quarterfinals, I think that’s a valuable experience to build on going forward.
Q4: Which quarterfinal tie are you most looking forward to?
Keogh: These quarterfinals are some of the best we’ve ever had in this competition. It is hard to top a Clásico clash, but a first London derby between the two most competitive English sides must take the title.
Chelsea and Arsenal have never faced one another over two legs before, let alone in the knockouts of the Champions League. It will be a mouthwatering spectacle and, hopefully, their best football will be on show. For a neutral, this will be the perfect advert for the domestic women’s game and wider competition.
Both these sides have been in the semifinals recently — Chelsea have been knocked out in each of the past three years by Barcelona — and both are just as deserving as the other to make it there this season. The fact that it will be the local rivals who knock the other out, the occasion is primed for fans to go all in. Bragging rights are on offer.
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Kirkland: Sorry to be predictable, but it’s Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, obviously. Yes, they play each other frequently, but this is the Champions League, a tournament Madrid are desperate to prove their credentials in, so this means even more. And I think Madrid have shown enough in recent meetings to suggest they can properly compete with Barça over two legs, even if Barça will still be heavy favourites to progress.
Thakur: I think we have four very exciting matchups lined up in the quarterfinals. There is rivalry and shared history between many sides that adds to the “watchability” of every game. However, there are two games that I am looking forward to the most.
The London derby between Arsenal and Chelsea is an obvious pick. There is also Bayern Munich against Manchester United. A fairytale debutant story against a side battling a team with scars from past defeats? What’s more to like.
UWCL power rankings
1. Barcelona
Barcelona remain the firm favourites to go all the way in the UWCL again — and they’re out for revenge after a surprise 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in last season’s final. They are head and shoulders ahead in the Spanish league, meaning they can focus on reclaiming their European crown. The emergence of young talents like Clara Serrajordi, Carla Martinez and Aïcha Cámara has also been a major plot point this season.
2. OL Lyonnes
OL Lyonnes will have an eye on getting back into the finals of a competition that they have made their own. They remained unbeaten in the group stages, picking up five wins in six games. Jonathan Giraldez has moulded the side to his tunes and they have talent littered over their squad. The arrival of some exciting young talents in the summer and a new tactical identity has provided the side with much needed soft reset.
They have lethal attacking options, solid options in midfield and defence and if nothing works, they still have Wendie Renard from set-piece situations. They feel better equipped to reach the finals in Oslo this season.
3. Arsenal
The defending champions have had a rather lacklustre campaign this season. Renee Slegers’ tricky reds have been rather straightforward to figure out. Their inefficiencies in front of goal have haunted them at times. With the WSL title still looking unlikely, they will be hoping to again rescue their season with European glory.
4. Chelsea
Chelsea have an undeniably talented squad. However, they have rarely managed to put together performances greater than the sum of their individual parts this season. Chelsea remain unbeaten in Europe with the joint-best goal difference, but it seems unlikely that they can go all the way.
5. Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich were stunned 7-1 against Barcelona in their first UWCL game, but they’ve picked up since then, winning four of the remaining five games in the group stages. In fact, they are unbeaten in all competitions since that defeat. Klara Buhl and Pernille Harder have been sensational in attack this season, combining to stage some brilliant performances.
6. Manchester United
The debutants have made it into the last eight in the UWCL this season with some impressive performances. United have shown a defensive resolve this season and have harnessed the best of this approach by having a fluid attack. However, United have already fallen short against the likes of OL Lyonnes and Wolfsburg. They might have it in them to challenge these clubs but it might be too soon to get one over them in the current season.
7. Real Madrid
Real Madrid have been dealt the toughest draw in the competition. After falling short of a top-four finish on the final league phase matchday, Pau Quesada’s side are now rewarded with a quarterfinal clash with Barcelona.
The head-to-head record in all competitions between the two sides stands at 23-1 in favour of Barcelona and Madrid have never made it past the last eight in the UWCL. The past record and the fact that the second leg will be played away would make Real Madrid the side least likely to progress into the final four of the competition.
8. Wolfsburg
The OGs of the European competition are once again among the final eight, despite a mixed bag in the tournament. The German giants finished with three wins and three losses during the group stages and fell short on almost all their major challenges, infamously losing to a reduced Real Madrid side. If their group-stage encounter is anything to go by, Wolfsburg will hit the end of the road against OL Lyonnes in the quarterfinals.
