Chelsea, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have all learned their opponents for the third qualifying round of the Women's Champions League, with victory in the final round of the preliminary stage to secure passage through to the league phase of the 2026-27 edition of the UWCL. With the likes of Ajax and Inter lurking as potential opposition, Tuesday's draw threw up some interesting ties.
VfL Wolfsburg are doing in the second division what they always liked doing most in the Bundesliga: spending money hand over fist. Only the financial differences in the lower tier are even more extreme. Is that simply mad, or already a distortion of competition?
It's officially transfer season. Europe's biggest competitions have concluded, new champions have been crowned and now attention turns to who will be on the move ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, with there plenty of big names in the women's game set for summer switches in what promises to be an entertaining and exciting few months.
What a season it has been for European women's football. The Champions League campaign was certainly a memorable one, with some thrilling ties throughout the knockout stages and an enthralling introduction to the league phase format, with stars aplenty shining on the biggest stage before Barcelona beat Lyon in the final.
And then there were four. One of Barcelona, Arsenal, Bayern Munich or Lyon will be crowned winners of the Women's Champions League next month, after the quartet progressed through an enthralling quarter-final stage over the past week. Bayern will take on Barca later this month while holders Arsenal will face Lyon, with the winners to meet in the final in Oslo, Norway, at the end of May.
Alexandra Popp's special connection to Borussia Dortmund has never been a secret in the football world. Now the sensation is complete: The three-time Champions League winner is joining BVB from VfL Wolfsburg on a free transfer. The 34-year-old has signed a three-year contract in Dortmund, binding her to the club until June 30, 2029.
Defending champions Arsenal will face London rivals Chelsea in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals, if they can defeat OH Leuven in the knockout play-offs. The Gunners beat the Belgian minnows 3-0 in the last round of the league phase and will be heavily favoured to do so again, making an all-English quarter-final incredibly likely.
Manchester United suffered their first Women’s Champions League defeat of the season in a mistake-ridden 5-2 loss at Wolfsburg on Wednesday. The Red Devils have now lost three of their last four games in all competitions after they were put to the sword by She-Wolves striker Lineth Beerensteyn, who scored twice on the night - including a first-half stunner.
It's no wonder Camilla Kuver can't stop smiling. After making her Champions League debut only a couple of weeks prior, the 22-year-old has just won her first and second caps for Germany, starting both games against France over the last international break to help her country qualify for the Nations League final. These would be milestones worth celebrating for any player, but they are particularly special for the Wolfsburg defender, given the incredible bad luck she has had with injuries over the past four years.
Just over four months after Arsenal stunned Barcelona in the Women's Champions League final to win their second European crown, the most prestigious club competition in the women's game is back this week, with the Gunners partaking in perhaps the most eye-catching fixture of matchday one as they prepare for a clash with eight-time winners Lyon, in a rematch of last season's semi-final.
VfL Wolfsburg
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