The National Times - Arsenal to face Lyon in Women's Champions League

Arsenal to face Lyon in Women's Champions League


Arsenal to face Lyon in Women's Champions League
Arsenal to face Lyon in Women's Champions League / Photo: © AFP

Holders Arsenal will take on eight-time winners Lyon, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the new-look league phase in this season's Women's Champions League.

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Arsenal are one of three English sides in the draw with Chelsea and newcomers Manchester United.

The Gunners, who beat Barcelona 1-0 in last season's final, will also play Benfica, Twente and OH Leuven in the 18-team league phase, in which all clubs play six matches -- three at home and three away.

The top four in the standings qualify directly for the quarter-finals, while the teams finishing fifth to 12th will advance to a knockout play-off round.

The first round of games in the league stage will be played on October 7-8.

Under the revised format that replaces the old group stage, aligning the competition more closely with the men's version, two more teams take part in the single-league phase.

T.Cunningham--TNT