by The UEFA Women’s Champions League returns tomorrow with several exciting clashes from the Champions and League Paths. As the clock runs down to the first kick-offs, here’s a look at the sides who went on to make headlines beyond round 1 for all the right and wrong reasons last year, while setting sight on some of the most exciting matches that Wednesday will bring in the competition.
Surprises Of All Shapes & Sizes
The UEFA Women’s Champions League re-ignites tomorrow as the two sets of draws from the League Path and the Champions Path take life in the first matchday. It’s early days, but plenty of teams have made headway from this stage of the competition to go on to stun in the group stages. Although the excitement of the group stages may feel like something in the distant future, the competition has a way of dishing out surprises of the best form fairly quickly, once the dice gets rolling.
Among last year’s surprise packages was SK Brann who proceeded from the first round by eliminating RSC Anderlecht, before going on to advance to the group stages. Under the leadership of Martin Ho, the team defied all odds to draw against giants Lyon, make it to the quarter-finals, before bowing out to the eventual champions Barcelona.
Benfica and Ajax were also two teams that impressed, emerging from the Champions Path. Benfica made headlines after being pitted against Barcelona, Eintracht Frankfurt and Rosengard, and earning narrow victories against Eintracht Frankfurt and Rosengard, while holding Barcelona to a 4-4 showdown. Like SK Brann, they bowed out at the quarter-finals, to the giant in European women’s football, Lyon.
Ajax brought a youthful squad that succeeded from the Champions Path, to dispatch FC Zurich by a whopping 8-0, to make it to the group stage. It was dubbed the group of death and it delivered to the name, being decided by the final matchday, during which all teams were in a position to proceed to the next stage at some point or another. However, it was Ajax who made it to the next stage, along with PSG, with the two sending Bayern Munich and Roma home, heartbroken by late own goals by the two teams.
Meanwhile, BK Hacken were a side that emerged from the League Path, downing FC Twente by a 4-3 aggregate, before stunning Real Madrid and Paris FC, while holding off England’s champions Chelsea to finish second in the group. Like the others, their dream ended in the quarter-finals, by PSG, but they made the headlines along the way and built a foundation for this season.
While they display success stories of teams emerging from this stage of the competition and going from strength to strength, other sides crashed early. Arsenal’s dream was shattered early on after failing to make it past the first round following falling to Paris FC on penalties. Meanwhile, PSG made short work of Manchester United’s first appearance in the competition in the League Path. Juventus were eliminated by Eintracht Frankfurt who went on to be one of the more exciting teams in the group stages.
A Fresh Start Awaits
Last season’s exploits serve as inspiration, but it all comes down to the whistle as matches kick off tomorrow in the first round. The League Path has thrown up a few great match-ups already, as Atletico Madrid face Rosenborg in an early afternoon kick-off, at 13:00 CET. Eintracht Frankfurt will battle it out against Sporting CP at 16:00 CET, while Brondby face Fiorentina at 18:00 CET. Arsenal will battle Rangers at 20:30 CET.
In the Champions Path Celtic will meet Finnish side KuPS Kuopio as early as 11:00 CET, while Slovenia’s NS Mura will face Glentoran at 16:00 CET. Benfica will look to kick-off another stellar campaign, starting it against Danish side Nordsjaelland at 17:00 CET. Twente will meet Cardiff City at 19:00 CET.
In Malta, the Belgian champions RSC Anderlecht will clash heads against Serbian debutants Red Star Belgrade at 17:45 at the Centenary Stadium, before Malta’s champions Birkirkara meet Breznica Pljevlja for the second year running, at 21:15, at the same stadium.
Those winning their matches will book a place in Saturday’s finals, with sight set on making it to Round 2. In the Champions Path, Roma, Hammarby and Slavia Prague await. Meanwhile, those within the League Path could end up meeting the likes of VFL Wolfsburg, PSG, Manchester City, BK Hacken, Juventus and Real Madrid.
Only the very best will make it to the group stages, where the competition gets even tougher as defending champions Barcelona, join the fold, together with the other league champions Lyon, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.
However, until then, for all the teams partaking in Round 1, the first target will be to win the first match tomorrow and get to the final set for this Saturday. As last year’s competition showed, no side is too small and no challenge is too big, for the ones who are ready to go all in on bringing the very best football on the night.
Lead Image: UWCL via X
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