The 2021-22 UEFA Women's Champions League was the first year there was a group stage for the women's competition.  After a revamp, sixteen teams from ten nations were ensured to compete in four groups with each team playing six group games.  Five of the eight Aussies which started the group stage now progress to the knock out stage.

UEFA Women's Champions League Draw

  • The Quarter-Final draw was done on Monday, December 20 with the top two teams in each group progressing.
  • This year's competition marked the first time a group stage existed in the women's competition.
  • Five Australians have qualified for the knock-out stage.

More Australian women's football news can be found on The Women's Game.

After three months of play, the group stage came to an end last week.  The top two teams in each group have qualified for the knock-out stage, to resume in March of the new year with the quarter-finals.

In total nine Australians had started the UEFA Women's Champions League group stage journey in October.  Three are now eliminated.

Dylan Holmes was with BK Häcken and played two group stage games.  She left the Swedish club prior to their completion of this phase of the competition to rejoin Adelaide United. Häcken finished last in Group D and was eliminated.

Former Newcastle Jets defender Tessa Tamplin played in every one of Servette Chênois' six group stage games.  In arguably the hardest group of the competition, Group A, the underdog Swiss side finished in last place.

Sam Kerr was likewise in Group A of the competition with Chelsea FC.  In what turned out to be the shock of this year's Champions League so far, last year's runners-up were eliminated after a loss following the last game of the group stage. While they finished equal in points with Wolfsburg and Juventus, goal difference is ultimately what led to their undoing.

The remaining six Australians continue to the Quarter-Finals.  

Juventus head coach Joe Montemurro led his Italian side to a second place finish in Group A.  A draw and a win against first placed Wolfsburg and a draw against Chelsea are ultimately what made the difference.  

Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Lydia Williams finished second with Arsenal FC in Group C.  Catley played in all group games, Foord played in five while Williams played in three.   

The Gunners had a difficult group stage, registering 4-1 and 4-0 losses to Barcelona and a 4-1 loss to Hoffenheim on their last day.  They finished equal in points with Hoffenheim but progressed on goal difference. 

Ellie Carpenter's Olympique Lyonnais continued their history of UEFA Women's Champions League domination, winning all matches in Group D except for their away game to Bayern.  The German side beat them in a 1-0 win.  They finished first and second respectively in their groups.

In total two German teams, FC Bayern Münich and Vfl Wolsburg, two French teams, Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais, two Spanish teams, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, one English team, Arsenal FC and one Italian team, Juventus, remain in the competition. 

Two teams from the same nation can meet each other at this phase of the competition, which occurred this year.  The draw for the next phase of the competition was held on Monday, December 20, 2021:

  Team 1 Team 2 Dates
Quarter-Final 1 FC Bayern München Paris Saint-Germain March 22 and 30
Quarter-Final 2 Juventus Olympique Lyonnais March 23 and 31
Quarter-Final 3 Arsenal FC Vfl Wolfsburg March 23 and 31
Quarter-Final 4 Real Madrid FC Barcelona March 22 and 30

Montemurro's Juventus will face Carpenter's Olympique Lyonnais, meaning only one of the two Australians will progress.  Arsenal will face the Wolfsburg that led to Chelsea's demise.

There will be no draw for the semi-final stage. The winner of Quarter-Final 1 will meet the winner of Quarter-Final 3 while the winner of Quarter-Final 2 will meet the winner of Quarter-Final 4. Those match-ups are scheduled for the 23/24 of April and the 30 of April/1 of May.

Due to the sequence of knock-out matchup, it is possible that teams with Australians on either side could meet in the final if Juventus/Lyon and Arsenal FC make it past the first two knock-out rounds.

This year's UEFA Women's Champions League final is scheduled to take place in Turin at Juventus Stadium.  The date has yet to be confirmed.

PLUS...

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New Zealand has announced the delay of the lifting of border restrictions. The changes will dash Wellington Phoenix men's hopes of the return of home matches in January and could end a possible 2022 return for the women.

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