Another one bites the dust…

Manchester United are the latest club to fall victim to the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) qualification system after losing to Paris Saint-Germain 4-2 on aggregate on Wednesday.

They are not the only ones: last year’s semi-finalists Arsenal and Wolfsburg, plus Juventus, have also failed to reach the competition’s group stages.

These teams have been outclassed but their absence is a blow for the overall tournament.

The current format, and its associated media and sponsorship rights, have reached the halfway point and will run until the end of the 2024-25 season. There will be no change before then, but discussions regarding what the future format looks like are underway.

“Before taking any decisions on how to best evolve the format of the competition in the future, UEFA consults with all its stakeholders,” read a UEFA statement to The Athletic. “Any new competition format proposal would have to be approved by the UEFA Women’s Football Committee before being submitted for approval to the UEFA Executive Committee.”

So should the UCWL change and, if so, how?

How does the current…

Another one bites the dust…

Manchester United are the latest club to fall victim to the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) qualification system after losing to Paris Saint-Germain 4-2 on aggregate on Wednesday.

They are not the only ones: last year’s semi-finalists Arsenal and Wolfsburg, plus Juventus, have also failed to reach the competition’s group stages.

These teams have been outclassed but their absence is a blow for the overall tournament.

The current format, and its associated media and sponsorship rights, have reached the halfway point and will run until the end of the 2024-25 season. There will be no change before then, but discussions regarding what the future format looks like are underway.

“Before taking any decisions on how to best evolve the format of the competition in the future, UEFA consults with all its stakeholders,” read a UEFA statement to The Athletic. “Any new competition format proposal would have to be approved by the UEFA Women’s Football Committee before being submitted for approval to the UEFA Executive Committee.”

So should the UCWL change and, if so, how?

How does the current…

Two-nil down at half-time, 3-2 up by full-time. On paper, Barcelona’s comeback win over Wolfsburg in the Women’s Champions League final should prompt the usual cliches. It was a game of two halves. Whatever Barcelona coach Jonatan Giraldez said in the dressing room at the break certainly worked.

But the underlying numbers from yesterday tell a very different story. In expected goals (xG) terms, this was indeed a game of two halves… that were, actually, very similar.

Opta’s data shows Barcelona winning the first half xG battle 2.6 to 0.4, and winning the second half’s 2.0 to 0.3. The question wasn’t really about what Barcelona did differently after half-time, but what they kept on doing.

Those numbers pass the eye test: Barcelona probably played their best possession football in the first half, albeit having been stunned in the third minute by Ewa Pajor’s long-range opener after a high press on Lucy Bronze, then Alexandra Popp’s headed second to round off a quick break seven minutes before the interval.

And Wolfsburg’s approach without the ball caused problems — the German side used an aggressive block when possible, and effectively man-marked in midfield, their trio matching Barcelona’s.

This prevented Barcelona from working the ball through midfield as…

The catchy anthem is being readied to blare out across the stadiums and the sparkly balls are being prepared — the Women’s Champions League is back this weekend.

The best of the best in European women’s football, including Women’s Super League sides Arsenal and Chelsea, will be battling out in the first legs of two semi-finals. Making it to the final in the Dutch city of Eindhoven on Saturday, June 3 will be a huge undertaking for both English clubs but across two legs, anything can happen…

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This semi-final is a rematch of the competition’s 2020-21 final — indeed, Chelsea are facing Barcelona for the first time since suffering that comprehensive 4-0 defeat in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Chelsea’s most likely starting line-up for the first leg at Stamford Bridge on Saturday will still have vivid memories of the total collapse which saw their first chance at European glory ripped away, as many of that team are still at the club. The new additions — Lauren James, Eve Perisset and Jelena Cankovic — have brought some fresh energy to the team and James will be one of their biggest threats to Barcelona.

Emma Hayes’ side are struggling…