Barcelona kicks off their defense of the UEFA Women’s Champions League on Wednesday, with the rest of Europe strategizing on how to prevent the Catalans from claiming the title for a third consecutive year. Led by the exceptional Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas—her predecessor as the Women’s Ballon d’Or winner—Barcelona successfully retained their crown in May, defeating Lyon 2-0 in Bilbao.
Just a year after conquering Wolfsburg in Eindhoven, Barcelona comfortably triumphed over the French giants, who hold a record eight Champions League titles. Although Lyon previously dominated European football, outclassing Barcelona in the 2019 final and claiming victory again in their 2022 clash, Barcelona has now secured three titles in the last four editions and reached five of the last six finals. The pressing question remains: can anyone halt their pursuit of another trophy in Lisbon?
Catalonia has seen some changes, with former coach Jonatan Giraldez departing to manage Washington Spirit in the NWSL. His successor, Pere Romeu, is an internal appointment who will make his Champions League debut away against Manchester City. Sporting director Marc Vives commented, “Pere Romeu gives us the continuity necessary to give the project stability,” emphasizing the importance of a smooth transition.
Barcelona has also strengthened their squad with the addition of prolific Polish striker Ewa Pajor, who was the top scorer in Germany last season while playing for Wolfsburg. Meanwhile, England right-back Lucy Bronze has moved to Chelsea, and Spain’s World Cup-winning forward Mariona Caldentey has signed with Arsenal. Importantly, both Bonmati and Putellas have extended their contracts, with Vives stating, “It is key that they’re staying. Not only in terms of football, as they are two players who have won the Ballon d’Or, but because they create Barca’s identity.”
The primary challenge to Barcelona’s dominance is likely to come from England, the only country with three clubs in the 16-team group phase. Domestic champions Chelsea are joined by Manchester City and Arsenal, both of whom advanced through the qualifying rounds.
Chelsea stands out as the only English club to reach the UEFA Women’s Champions League finals in the last 17 years, although they faced a heavy defeat against Barcelona in the 2021 final. The club has dominated the English Women’s Super League (WSL), winning it for the past five years. However, following the departure of long-serving coach Emma Hayes to take a position in the United States, Sonia Bompastor, a former French international who led Lyon to Champions League success in 2022, has taken the reins.
In Group B, Chelsea, bolstered by talents like Lucy Bronze, Sam Kerr, and Lauren James, is expected to be too formidable for their opponents: Real Madrid, Dutch champions Twente, and Celtic. Meanwhile, Manchester City, who have added prolific Dutch striker Vivianne Miedema to their squad, could provide a significant challenge to Barcelona. Both teams are anticipated to advance from a group that also includes Austria’s St. Pölten and Sweden’s Hammarby. “Everything that has been done so far, and to have won Champions Leagues, has a lot of merit. But now another reality begins,” said Barcelona’s coach Romeu regarding the group draw.
Arsenal faces a challenging task in Group C, where they will compete against German champions Bayern Munich and Juventus. Coach Jonas Eidevall has expressed frustration with the scheduling of the WSL, criticizing the decision to have them play on Sunday before traveling to face Bayern on Wednesday. He remarked, “Do the league want English teams to be successful at European level? I would hope the answer to that would be ‘yes’, but the actions show differently. It shows that this is not one of their priorities,” highlighting concerns that such scheduling could hinder their European aspirations.
Lyon, the perennial champions of France, have appointed Joe Montemurro, the Australian former coach of Arsenal and Juventus, to replace Bompastor. The team still boasts former Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg and USA midfield star Lindsey Horan, along with prolific Malawian striker Tabitha Chawinga. Lyon finds itself in a group with Wolfsburg, another traditional powerhouse, as well as Italian champions Roma and Galatasaray.
This season marks the last in the current format of the competition, with UEFA set to introduce a single 18-team league stage next year. This new format will resemble the revamped men’s Champions League, alongside the introduction of a second women’s club competition scheduled for 2025.
