The UEFA Women’s Champions League draw took place on Friday, putting holders Barcelona in a group with Manchester City, while Women’s Super League champions Chelsea will face Real Madrid in Group B.
Arsenal will face Bayern Munich, Juventus and Norwegian side Valerenga. Arsenal knocked German champions Bayern out of the competition in the quarterfinals in 2022-23 having played Juve in the group stage that season.
Barcelona and City’s group was rounded out with St. Pölten and Hammarby IF, while Chelsea and Madrid will take on FC Twente and debutants Celtic.
The final group is made of up Lyon, Wolfsburg, Roma and Galatasaray.
Barça are aiming for their third consecutive UWCL title and fourth straight final. They will be attempting to do so with a new coach, after Pere Romeu replaced Jonatan Giráldez following his move to Washington Spirit in the NWSL.
This is the first time that there will be three English teams in the group stage of the continental competition.
Manchester City secured their passage from round two with an emphatic 8-0 aggregate win against Paris FC.
Arsenal headed into their second leg with a 1-0 deficit after BK Häcken won the first leg Gothenburg. The Gunners turned the tie around with a 4-0 (4-1 on agg.) win at Meadow Park on Thursday to book their place in the group stage.
Chelsea earned an automatic place in the group stage following their Women’s Super League (WSL) win last term.
The Champions League was the one title that eluded former manager Emma Hayes during her 12-year tenure at the club. Now under the helm of former Lyon manager Sonia Bompastor, who has won the competition as a player and a head coach, the Blues will be optimistic that this could be the year they lift the trophy.
Chelsea have made it to the semifinals for the past two campaigns, both times falling short against reigning champions Barcelona.
Arsenal failed to make it past the qualifiers last season, while Manchester City haven’t been in the tournament since 2020-21.
The group stage will be spread across from 8-9 October until 17-18 December, with two matches taking place in each month.
Group A: Lyon, Wolfsburg, Roma, Galatasaray
Group B: Chelsea, Real Madrid, FC Twente, Celtic
Group C: Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Juventus, Valerenga
Group D: Barcelona, Manchester City St. Pölten, Hammarby