Chelsea will hope to join Arsenal in the Women’s Champions League quarter-finals with both English sides on course to advance as group winners. But who could they face in the knockouts?
As we approach the end of the group stages, former winners Barcelona and Bayern Munich have also booked their spots in the next round, while Wolfsburg are into the last eight too.
But who will join them? Paris St-Germain and Real Madrid are hoping to make it out of Group A – can the French club maintain their current advantage over the Spanish side? Will holders Lyon edge out Juventus in Group C to reach the last eight?
Here’s everything you need to know about who needs what from the final group matches.
Group A
Group A looked tricky for Women’s Super League winners Chelsea, but Emma Hayes’ side top the standings and are unbeaten after four matches.
The Blues face already eliminated Albanian side Vllaznia on Friday needing a point to qualify before hosting two-time finalists PSG in their final group game on 22 December.
If Real Madrid fail to beat PSG on Friday, Chelsea will reach the last eight even if they are beaten by Vllaznia.
Should Chelsea win or draw and PSG fail to beat Las Blancas, the English side will advance as group winners.
Group B
Wolfsburg were the first side to reach the quarter-finals, with their main rivals Roma and St Polten still to play each other in the penultimate round of matches.
That game is likely to decide who will join the German team in the knockouts. Wolfsburg will top Group B if they better Roma’s result when they face Slavia Prague on 16 December.
The Czech side are already eliminated.
Group C
Arsenal, winners in 2007, stunned holders and eight-time winners Lyon 5-1 in their opening Group C match and have remained at the top of the group ever since.
Despite the Gunners’ 1-0 defeat by Lyon on Thursday their superior head-to-head record with Lyon cemented their spot in the last eight.
Lyon and Juventus are set for a winner-takes-all crunch match in the final round of Group C fixtures on 21 December.
If Lyon win, Arsenal would advance as group winners if they beat Zurich on the same day. If Juventus win or draw, Arsenal would only need to avoid defeat to ensure they’re seeded in the knockouts.
Group D
It is all sewn up in Group D after matchday five with 2021 winners Barcelona and German side Bayern Munich cruising into the last eight.
Barcelona advanced with a 6-2 win over Portuguese champions Benfica while Bayern thrashed Sweden’s Rosengard 4-0.
Barcelona have the head-to-head edge on Bayern, winning 3-0 at home and losing 3-1 away, so they will advance as group winners if they match Bayern’s result in their final Group D match on Wednesday.
The Spanish champions face Rosengard at home with Bayern hosting Benfica.
