A memorable UEFA Women’s Champions League season resumes this week with the first leg of the knockout phase playoffs, headlined by Arsenal’s attempts to defend their title and a batch of first-timers who hope to extend their stay in Europe’s top club competition.
The Gunners will face Belgium’s OH Leuven, who have become the Champions League’s Cinderella story during their first-ever stint in the competition proper. Leuven went undefeated against a handful of well-regarded sides during the league phase, proving their worth against some Champions League regulars in the process. How they match up against one of the game’s elites in Arsenal, who are in the midst of a resurgence after a poor start to the season, is another question entirely, though.
Fellow UWCL newcomers Manchester United also return to action with a tie against Atletico Madrid, one that will offer a litmus test of their progress in the midst of a memorable season. Two-time Women’s Champions League winners Wolfsburg, meanwhile, will take on six-time Italian champions Juventus and the fixture list is rounded out by Real Madrid’s faceoff with Paris FC.
The winners of these ties await meetings with Barcelona, OL Lyonnes, Chelsea and Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals after that quartet secured direct passageway to the final eight with a top four finish in the league phase.
Here’s what you need to know before tuning in.
How to watch
Paramount+ and CBS Sports Network will each be a one-stop shop for the first leg of the Women’s Champions League knockout phase playoffs, with both platforms simulcasting all coverage and every minute of the action. Coverage will begin with a new edition of the UEFA Women’s Champions League Today pre-match show before the early match, while studio coverage resumes in between matches and concludes with the post-match show to recap the action on Wednesday and Thursday.
UEFA Women’s Champions League bracket
Knockout phase playoffs first leg schedule
All times U.S./Eastern
Storylines for the knockout phase playoffs
Are Arsenal turning things around?: The reigning European champions got off to a slow start this season, so much so that they missed out on a direct berth to the Champions League quarterfinals and currently sit outside the top three in the Women’s Super League as things stand, meaning qualification for next season’s competition is no sure thing. They may have officially corrected course, though – they have just one loss in their last 14, a stretch that includes lifting the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup. The list also includes impressive wins over Chelsea and Women’s Super League leaders Manchester City in recent weeks, a signal that the Gunners might be peaking at just the right time as the business end of the European season begins.
They have an intriguing obstacle in front of them in OH Leuven, the Belgian side that have become everyone’s favorite underdog and reached the knockouts in their first-ever Champions League season. They went unbeaten against Paris FC, Twente, Roma and Paris Saint-Germain but their two losses in the league phase might be telling. Defeats to Barcelona and Arsenal, who breezed through a 3-0 win on Matchday 6, indicate that Leuven may still be a step behind the elites of the game.
Can Manchester United keep going?: Manchester United have been on a steady upward trajectory since they were officially founded in 2018, a path that has allowed them to reach new heights this season. They currently sit second in the WSL, eight points adrift of league leaders Manchester City but rising above the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal in the process, and finished just one point short of a direct berth in the UWCL quarterfinals, returning to their first-ever European season as a true dark horse. Their knockout phase playoff tie against Atletico Madrid, though, will test them in more ways than one as United continue a memorable season.
United got the better of Atleti in a 1-0 win on Matchday 2 thanks to a goal from Fridolina Rolfo, who has been a boon since her summer move from Barcelona. Rolfo has three goals for United in the Champions League so far, doing her best to contribute to a goal-shy attacking unit that scored just seven times during the league phase. United are also one of three teams that qualified for the knockouts with a negative goal differential, though U.S. women’s national team goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce will be counted on to come up big. Atleti, though, have their own attacking star in Spain international Fiamma Benitez, who has four goals in the UWCL this season. The Spanish side also have the benefit of experience – they have four of their last five two-legged ties in UEFA competition, while United have one win and one loss, a signal of their lack of experience at this level.
