Arsenal To Compete Against Lyon And Chelsea To Face Barcelona In Women's Champions League Phase

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Arsenal, the reigning European champions, are set to face Lyon in the Women's Champions League league phase. This follows a draw held on Friday. Arsenal secured their second European title by defeating Barcelona in May's final, with Stina Blackstenius scoring the decisive goal. They join two other Women's Super League teams in this revamped 18-team league phase, where each team will play six matches.

In addition to Lyon, who Arsenal defeated 5-3 on aggregate in last season's semi-finals, Renee Slegers' squad will also face Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Their group also includes Twente, Benfica, and OH Leuven. The new format mirrors that of the men's competition, promising exciting matchups for fans.

Chelsea, who won an English treble last season but were defeated 8-2 on aggregate by Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals, have a chance for redemption. They will host Barcelona, who have reached the last five finals and won three of them. Chelsea's other home fixtures include Roma and Paris FC, while they will travel to face Wolfsburg, St Polten, and Twente.

Manchester United are making their debut in the main draw after Elisabeth Terland's hat-trick led them to a 3-1 victory over Brann in their third-round qualification tie. Marc Skinner's team faces a challenging schedule with home games against Lyon, Paris Saint-Germain, and Valerenga. Their away fixtures include trips to Wolfsburg, Atletico Madrid, and Juventus.

Barcelona will not only visit Chelsea but also travel to Roma and Paris FC. At home, they will welcome Bayern Munich, Benfica, and OH Leuven. The order of these fixtures is yet to be announced. Matchday one is scheduled for October 7 and 8.

The upcoming Women's Champions League promises thrilling encounters as top teams vie for supremacy in this prestigious tournament. Fans can look forward to intense competition as clubs battle it out on the European stage.