The UEFA Women’s Champions League returned for the final day of the group stage on Wednesday as two English contenders secured their place at the top of their standings.
Chelsea He managed to complete the comeback against Real Madrid as two brilliant penalties from Catarina Macario secured the side a 2-1 victory at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.
As the injury woes continue to pile up, Manchester City they were robbed of the top spot in their group by defender Barcelona. Gareth Taylor’s side struggled in Spain, with a 3-0 defeat at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium.
As for arsenalan instant Champions League show saw Mariona Caldentey steal a 3-2 win at Bayern Munich in the final stages of the game. Renee Slegers extended her unbeaten run to eleven games as the Gunners secured top spot in their group.
90 minutes have analyzed the six key learnings from the sixth day of the Women’s Champions League…
Arsenal are unstoppable right now, after a triumphant 3-2 win against Bayern Munich that launched the team to the top of their group. The Gunners went 11 games unbeaten under interim manager Renee Slegers, and it was the fight and passion shown by the players that made the moment even more special.
Since taking over following the resignation of Jonas Eidevall, Slegers has taken Arsenal to new heights. The players have been injected with a new sense of confidence, and as star defender Leah Williamson described it, “I’m really happy to come to work every day.”
Slegers hasn’t made wholesale changes to Eidevall’s previous system, but it’s the small tweaks that have had the most impact. The decision to play Steph Catley at centre-back on a permanent basis has helped Arsenal to be formidable as the Australian continues to work seamlessly alongside Williamson at the heart of the defence. After bagging a hat-trick in the reverse fixture, Catley made Pernille Harder look anonymous at Meadow Park.
Under Eidevall’s reign, fans began to forget the streaming talent this side possesses. Now, the Gunners look like their spirit alone could get them over the line against almost any opposition.
If 11 games unbeaten and a win over Bayern Munich aren’t enough to sell Arsenal’s rejection of ‘Reneesaince’, the club may have to rethink their fairytale search for a manager perfect and realize that your best option is already in the dugout.
Slegers has gotten many things right since taking over at Arsenal, but the biggest impact of all has come from Alessia Russo. After a dry spell that saw them go without a goal in the first eight games of the 2024/25 season, Russo’s equalizer against Bayern was his 10th in 11 games in a row.
This is the striker that both Arsenal and England fans have been craving, and they are finally starting to see her shine. Russo looks unstoppable, rattling the back of the net like it’s light work.
We saw glimpses of this cruelty in his last season with Manchester United, but nothing like what we are witnessing now. Forwards rely heavily on confidence to perform at their best, and Russo is full of it.
Manchester City’s last seven days have catalysed many doubts about the depth and talent of the squad. The Cityzens were beaten by Everton in the Women’s Super League (WSL), before traveling to Barcelona for another toothless display.
If it hadn’t been for the individual brilliance of goalkeeper Khiara Keating, it can be assumed that Barcelona could have been 5-0 alone in the first 45 minutes. Without Vivianne Miedema, Chloe Kelly, Lauren Hemp, Khadija Shaw and captain Alex Greenwood, it’s impossible not to have some sympathy for this City side.
However, another club in England is facing problems of its own. Chelsea are without Sam Kerr, Lauren James and Mia Fishel, with defender Kadeisha Buchanan recently lost to an ACL injury while on life form. The Blues also traveled to Real Madrid without Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, who has been key to their success this campaign.
An injury-ravaged Arsenal edged past Man City in 2022/23, stealing third place and a Champions League place despite injuries to Leah Williamson (ACL), Beth Mead (ACL), Vivianne Miedema (ACL) , Lia Wälti and Kim Little as the season ended.
Injuries are part of football, and City’s tough week is a clear indication that the squad is lacking depth in all areas. However, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this.
Sitting in the driving seat to win the WSL title last season, an injury to Shaw was enough to completely derail City’s campaign. Taylor often struggles to find a plan B and often relies too much on individual moments of brilliance.
This injury crisis will be a great cover-up for the bigger issue at hand, which is City’s persistent struggle to bounce back from any sign of adversity.
Another questionable sample. It saw Chelsea fall behind against Real Madrid on Wednesday evening, but in true Blues fashion, they got the job done.
Sonia Bompastor’s team has great strength in numbers, and the player who shone the most against Las Blancas was striker Catarina Macario.
The United States Women’s National Team forward should have had an early double before her goals finally came, with two near misses that left Real Madrid holding their breath. Macario was brilliant, with sheer strength and composure the 25-year-old made Chelsea look likely in the final third.
Two penalties scored by the American were enough to nudge the Blues over the line in a 2-1 win, but spot-kicks carry a story of their own. Hitting the two shots into the top right corner is something only a world-class player would dare to do twice.
A strong testament to the potent depth of Chelsea’s squad, Macario was able to lead the line alongside Mayra Ramirez and ensure Sam Kerr’s absence was barely felt.
As the final matchday of the Women’s Champions League group stage draws to a close, fans will have to wait until February 7 to find out who their team will face in the quarter-finals.
The next stage will begin on March 18/19, meaning fans will have less than six weeks to plan their European trips to support their club. With the group stages done and dusted, why is UEFA extending the draw for another month and a half?
An earlier draw would give clubs ample opportunity to boost ticket sales and build hype in what is sure to be an epic quarter-final stage. Women’s football deserves to play on the biggest stage, and football bodies should have their sights set on this expectation.
Manchester City have a 2/3 chance of facing one of their WSL rivals in the next round, having finished second in their group. The team will come together against Chelsea, Lyon and Arsenal. As for the London contenders, Arsenal will face one of Real Madrid, VfL Wolsburg or Man City. The Blues will be drawn against Bayern Munich, VfL Wolfsburg or Man City.
