With the quarter-finals lined up, eight teams prepare to do battle in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Defending champions Barcelona topped their group after an emphatic 3-0 win over Women’s Super League (WSL) side Manchester City in the sixth round. League F will aim to lift the European trophy for the third season in a row.
English clubs Chelsea and Arsenal topped the standings in their groups, while German giants Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg secured qualification in second place.
The draw for the quarter-final stages will take place on February 7, and the fixtures will be played on March 18 and 19.
90min predicts which European club will win silverware at Lisbon’s Estadio Jose Alvalade in 2025…
Arsenal have been in firing form since Renee Slegers looked to be holding the fireplace, playing in the fight fans crave. The Gunners took out Bayern Munich in the sixth round and look like they could cause some real trouble on the European stage.
As for Manchester City, Gareth Taylor’s side look exhausted. Injury problems have seen Alex Greenwood, Lauren Hemp, Vivianne Miedema, Chloe Kelly and Khadija Shaw missing from the matchday squad, and it’s safe to say the side looks vulnerable.
Both of these England sides can spark glimpses that prove they are capable of beating any side on the globe, but their questionable depth may prevent them from going all the way.
Barcelona are by far the most ruthless team in Europe, winning Champions League titles and making League F look like easy work. The Spanish giants will be well equipped to make it three goals in a row as Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati continues to improve.
The defending champions faced turbulence in their first European encounter of the season, losing 2-0 to Manchester City in the first round. However, since then, Barcelona have been relentless. In the second round, they demolished Hammarby 9-0, before achieving back-to-back victories over St. Polten.
It may seem like a simple prediction, but if one side can steal the glory from Barcelona, it could be Chelsea. Blues fans will loathe the idea of facing Barcelona once again, after a narrow 2-1 aggregate defeat that saw them miss out on a place in last season’s final. And for all Emma Hayes’ brilliance, she never won the Champions League. Sonia Bompastor, however, has.
In moments where Chelsea look vulnerable, they don’t seem invincible. A questionable performance against Real Madrid in the sixth round still saw the Blues win, but they still haven’t lost a game under Bompastor.
The squad has always been talented, but Chelsea’s depth now lies in dominance. As the squad prepares to welcome Sam Kerr, Lauren James and Mia Fishel into the new year, this could finally be the year Chelsea claim European glory.
Predicted winners: Chelsea
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