The UEFA Women’s Champions League round of 16 draw took place in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday. Reigning champions Lyon will face Chelsea, while Arsenal will face Bayern Munich. On the other hand, Barcelona will face Roma while PSG will face Wolfsburg.
The draw opens up a possible semi-final between Lyon and Barcelona in what would be a repeat of the competition’s 2019 and 2022 finals.
Arsenal avoided a tough test with Lyon who had already played the French giants in the group stage.
Sacking Bayern Munich, however, will mean the Gunners face either PSG or Wolfsburg for a place in the final.
The north London side have struggled to score goals this season, while Bayern have also been inconsistent. Therefore, either side would like to have chances of a place in the last four.
Chelsea faces a difficult draw
Chelsea, meanwhile, have the toughest draw among English teams. Despite the injuries, Lyon will be a great test for the Blues and the French club is an 8-time winner of the competition. Both clubs are leaders in their respective leagues and it remains to be seen if Chelsea’s attacking prowess can unsettle the apple cart.
Both London-based clubs will be absent for the first legs which are scheduled to be played on March 21 and 22. The return ties at home will be played a week later.
The semifinals are scheduled for April 22 and 23. The final of the competition will be played at PSV Eindhoven’s Phillips Stadion on June 3.
UEFA Women’s Champions League full draw:
Quarter finals
QF1 – Bayern Munich-Arsenal
QF2 – Lyon-Chelsea
QF3 – AS Roma-FC Barcelona
QF4 – Paris Saint-Germain – VfL Wolfsburg
semifinals
SF1 – Winner QF4 v Winner QF1
SF2 – Winner QF2 vs Winner QF3
Final
SF2 Winner vs SF1 Winner
Photo credit: IMAGOPaul Terry / Sportimage
