Women’s Champions League draw: Lyon faces Arsenal, Chelsea drawn with PSG

Last year’s runner-up Barcelona has been pitted against Bayern Munich, Rosengard and Benfica in Group D.

Lyon has won the trophy a record eight times, including five consecutive wins from 2016-2020. | Photo Credit: AFP

Defending champion Lyon was drawn to a tough group in the Women’s Champions League draw on Monday, which includes Arsenal and Juventus.

Lyon beat 2021 champion Barcelona 3-1 in May, and is in Group C which includes the Gunners, the 2007 champions, powered by star Dutch striker Vivianne Miedema, Juve and Swiss side Zurich.

Barca benefited from a more lenient draw in Group D alongside Bayern Munich, Rosengard of Sweden and Portuguese club Benfica.

English giant Chelsea, the runner up in 2021, and with a star line-up including Pernille Harder and Sam Kerr, headlines a tough Group A which includes Paris Saint-Germain, semi-finalists in the last three editions, and the ambitious Real Madrid.

The other team in the group is Vllaznia Shkoder, the first Albanian women’s football club to climb into the European top-16.

In Group B, Wolfsburg is favourite ahead of the Czech Slavia Prague, Austrian St. Poelten and the Italy’s Roma, novices in the elite European competition.

Group stage matches take place between October 19 and December 22 with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the quarter-finals.

Women’s Champions League Groups

Group A

Chelsea (ENG), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), Real Madrid (ESP), Vllaznia Shkoder (ALB)

Group B

Wolfsburg (GER), Slavia Prague (CZE), St. Poelten (AUT), Roma (ITA)

Group C

Lyon (FRA), Arsenal (ENG), Juventus (ITA), Zurich (SUI)

Group D

Barcelona (ESP), Bayern Munich (GER), Rosengard (SWE), Benfica (POR)