The stage is set for the high stakes of the 2025-26 UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinals. There is no setting more iconic for the tournament than the Camp Nou in Barcelona, and the Blaugrana are on the hunt to reach a sixth final. Bayern Munich delivered a resilient performance in the first leg and earned a 1-1 draw in Germany. Now the two sides will battle for a spot in the final when they meet on Sunday.
With everything level, the second leg is a winner-takes-all scenario, and whichever club is victorious will face Lyon on May 23 in Oslo.
Barcelona will have nearly every roster advantage available to them, including three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati. The midfield magician could feature for the first time since breaking her left fibula in November. Her comeback adds another dimension of dominance for a talented roster that controlled their league phase, quarterfinal, and primary semifinal without her.
Bayern will have to navigate the semifinal without their first-leg hero, Franziska Kett, who will miss the big match on suspension. She was sent off during the previous match for a hair-pulling incident. The group will also be without their head coach, Jose Barcala, after he protested the call. Despite the setback, the Bavarians showed they can disrupt, but now face an even bigger challenge away at the iconic Camp Nou.
Here’s what’s at stake:
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 semifinals, 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 Saturday and Sunday.
Viewing information
All times U.S./Eastern
- Date: Sunday, May 3 | Time: 10:30 p.m.
- Place: Camp Nou — Barcelona, Spain
- TV: CBS Sports Network
Storylines for UWCL semifinals
What will be Barcelona’s response?: Following the first leg, the Blaugrana showed no panic or nerves after sustaining their first draw of the tournament. Midfielder Alexia Putellas was immediately reflective and stated the team’s energy for the second leg would be “like a final.” She’s correct, and the environment will match, with the club anticipating a sold-out crowd for the semifinal.
“Our fans always give us incredible support,” said Barcelona manager Pere Romeu, “and this time we’ll need them even more. With our people behind us, we’ll have that extra energy we need for the second leg.”
Supporters will also have an extra reason to celebrate with the potential return of Aitana Bonmati, and the possibility of reaching a sixth Champions League final. Barcelona has navigated the tournament as front runners, considered tournament favorites and no doubt eager to prove they’re the team to beat.
A roster brimming with talent, including midfield commander Patri Guijarro alongside Putellas. Forward Ewa Pajor leads the team in Champions League goals, and is one shy of Arsenal’s Alessia Russo in the Golden Boot race. If the group finds the goal early, it’ll be a different day than in Germany.
Can Bayern handle the pressure?: Considering how the Bavarian side started off the Champions League, with a demoralizing 7-1 loss to start the league phase against Barcelona, this semifinal moment feels like a dream instead of a nightmare. The team is vastly different from the one they were in October.
The Bavarians proved they could disrupt the talented Blaugrana through discipline and relentless efforts. It’ll be a much different circumstance away at Barcelona, and without head coach Jose Barcala. They’ll also miss Franziska Kett, but veteran captain Glodis Viggosdottir will aid the backline and the group. Though the lineup will need more from Pernille Harder in the biggest game of the year.
“I think it’s going to be pretty much a similar game. We want to go to the final, and we saw that we’re capable of giving them a good game,” Viggosdottir said. “I just want to see the team and the fight that we put in [at home] again.”
