Women's Champions League: A Depth Test for WSL Teams and the Value of the New Format
Arsenal and Manchester United face familiar foes in the revamped competition. The new format of the Women's Champions League has proven to be more competitive so far.
The next stage of the Women's Champions League in its new format kicks off on Wednesday and Thursday with four playoff first-leg matches. Arsenal and Manchester United join Barcelona, Lyon, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich, who secured automatic quarterfinal spots by finishing in the top four of their respective leagues.
Like their male counterparts, the group stage has been replaced with a league format. However, since the UWCL group stage was only introduced in the 2021-22 season, there were doubts about changes being made soon, considering the group stage had taken a significant step forward and was still in its relative youth.