The knockout bracket for the Women’s Champions League is now set, setting the stage for several high-stakes encounters in the new year. The draw has outlined a path where the reigning European champions, Arsenal, could face domestic rivals Chelsea in the quarterfinals, provided Arsenal first navigate their playoff tie against Belgian side OH Leuven.
On the opposite side of the bracket, Manchester United’s potential route has also been clarified. Should United overcome Atlético Madrid in their playoff, a quarterfinal matchup with German giants Bayern Munich awaits.
The structure of the competition ensured that the top two finishers from the league phase, Barcelona and Lyon, were kept apart from the English contenders until at least the semifinals. Arsenal secured their playoff seeding with a decisive away victory over the very Leuven side they will now meet again. Meanwhile, Barcelona, who finished the league phase in first place, could be set for a marquee quarterfinal against Real Madrid, should Madrid advance past Paris FC.
Manchester United’s playoff presents a familiar challenge, as they will face an Atlético Madrid side they narrowly defeated on the road during the group stage.
Looking further ahead, a potential semifinal could pit the winner of an Arsenal-Chelsea tie against the most successful club in the competition’s history, Lyon. The French champions, however, face a difficult quarterfinal assignment against either Wolfsburg or Juventus, who meet in one of the more compelling playoff fixtures.
Under this season’s revised format, the top four teams from the initial league phase earned direct passage to the quarterfinals. The next eight teams enter the playoff round, with the winners joining them. The playoff first legs are scheduled for mid-February, with the return legs a week later. The quarterfinals will commence in March.