Manchester City took a "step forward" in their European "journey" by beating Women's Champions League holders Barcelona 2-0, so says Gareth Taylor.

City ran out winners on Wednesday thanks to goals from Champions League debutant Naomi Layzell and Khadija Shaw at Joie Stadium.

Aitana Bonmati and Claudia Pina were among those to go close for Barca, but City held firm for a memorable win.

"It's right up there, definitely," said Taylor of the performance from his side, who have won two of their opening three Women's Super League matches, too.

"The performance in the first half especially was top. We knew at some point we would have to weather the storm and we did that tremendously well.

"I felt we could have been 3-0 or 4-0 up in the first half due to the opportunities we created and the pressure we put on them."

Taylor was asked by DAZN if City could claim European glory this year, and replied: "Yes.

"We have taken a step forward tonight. We are super-honoured to be in the competition and enjoying the journey."

For Layzell, it was a Champions League bow to remember.

"To do that, scoring and assisting when she was playing out of position against Barcelona, is unbelievable," Taylor said of the 20-year-old, who was signed from Bristol City in the summer.

"It is special. I think if you get to know Naomi then you will say it doesn't surprise you. She is very humble and coachable. She's playing in a non-favoured position at right-back because she is a centre-back. She will be on cloud nine."

While City celebrated a famous victory over European royalty, there was no such joy for Arsenal, who were beaten 5-2 by Bayern Munich.

The match was in the balance at 2-2 until Pernille Harder scored a 15-minute hat-trick as Bayern went on to snap a four-game winless run in the Champions League.

"It’s a football game at a high tempo and obviously we're very disappointed with the result and the way things turned out in the second half," said Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall, who is reportedly under pressure following a run of just one win from the Gunners' opening three WSL fixtures.

"We played a good first half. I think Bayern came out with a lot of energy in the second half and they were very effective on set-pieces. We weren't good at defending those, and that's why we couldn't get a better result today."

Naomi Layzell enjoyed a dream Women's Champions League debut as her goal and assist helped Manchester City stun holders Barcelona 2-0 on Wednesday. 

Layzell was playing her football in the Women's Super League last season with relegated Bristol City, but was the star of the show at the Joie Stadium. 

City were making their first appearance in the competition since falling to a 4-2 quarter-final loss to the Catalan side in March 2021, and exacted their revenge with a plucky display.

The hosts, however, almost found themselves a goal behind with just three minutes on the clock when Caroline Hansen took aim and saw her effort cannon off the post, shortly before Lauren Hemp struck the woodwork with a strike of her own. 

City grew into the contest and almost got the goal their performance merited in the 35th minute when Vivianne Miedema teed up Khadija Shaw, only to see her effort saved by Cata Coll.

But from the resulting corner, Gareth Taylor's side got their noses in front as Miedema brilliantly headed the ball back into the danger area, with Layzell sliding in to mark her Champions League debut with a goal. 

Barcelona had only failed to score once in their past 79 games heading into the encounter, and improved after the interval in their search for an equaliser. 

Aitana Bonmati forced Ayaka Yamashita into making a smart save down to her right, with substitute Claudia Pina going close from distance as City were forced to withstand a relentless wave of pressure from the defending champions. 

But the hosts landed a sucker punch in the 77th minute on the counter, with Layzell turning provider for Shaw, with the striker riding the challenge of Patri Guijarro before rounding Coll to seal a memorable triumph for City. 

The Citizens ended the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.68 compared to Barca's 1.5, despite having four fewer shots than their opponents. 

Taylor's side sit level on points with Hammarby in Group D, after the Swedish side beat Austria's St. Polten 2-0 earlier on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, in Group C, Juventus edged out Norwegian side Valerenga to kickstart their campaign with a victory at the Intility Arena. 

Sofia Cantore's 29th minute strike proved to be the difference, with the Italian curling a fine right-footed effort beyond the grasp of Tove Enblom against the run of play. 

Juventus continued to struggle throughout the contest, with Valerenga registering 25 shots, with six of those on target, ending with an xG total of 2.2. 

Massimiliano Canzi's side go level with Bayern Munich at the top of the Group C following the German side's 5-2 thumping of Arsenal. 

Naomi Layzell enjoyed a dream Women's Champions League debut as her goal and assist helped Manchester City stun holders Barcelona 2-0 on Wednesday. 

Layzell was playing her football in the Women's Super League last season with relegated Bristol City, but was the star of the show at the Joie Stadium. 

City were making their first appearance in the competition since falling to a 4-2 quarter-final loss to the Catalan side in March 2021, and exacted their revenge with a plucky display.

The hosts, however, almost found themselves a goal behind with just three minutes on the clock when Caroline Hansen took aim and saw her effort cannon off the post, shortly before Lauren Hemp struck the woodwork with a strike of her own. 

City grew into the contest and almost got the goal their performance merited in the 35th minute when Vivianne Miedema teed up Khadija Shaw, only to see her effort saved by Cata Coll.

But from the resulting corner, Gareth Taylor's side got their noses in front as Miedema brilliantly headed the ball from the back post and back into the danger area, with Layzell sliding in to mark her Champions League debut with a goal. 

Barcelona had only failed to score once in their past 79 games heading into the encounter, and improved after the interval in their search for an equaliser. 

Aitana Bonmati forced Ayaka Yamashita into making a smart save down to her right, with substitute Claudia Pina going close from distance as City were forced to withstand a relentless wave of pressure from the defending champions. 

But the hosts landed a sucker punch in the 77th minute on the counter, with Layzell turning provider for Shaw, with the striker riding the challenge of Patri Guijarro before rounding Coll to seal a memorable triumph for City. 

The Citizens ended the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.68 compared to Barca's 1.5, despite having four fewer shots than their opponents. 

Gareth Taylor's side sit level on points with Hammarby in Group D, after the Swedish side beat Austria's St. Polten 2-0 earlier on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, in Group C, Juventus edged out Norwegian side Valerenga to kickstart their campaign with a victory at the Intility Arena. 

Sofia Cantore's 29th minute strike proved to be the difference, with the Italian curling a fine right-footed effort beyond the grasp of Tove Enblom against the run of play. 

Juventus continued to struggle throughout the contest, with Valerenga registering 25 shots, with six of those on target, ending with an xG total of 2.2. 

Pernille Harder's hat-trick handed Bayern Munich a winning start to their Women's Champions League campaign, beating Arsenal 5-2 in Group C. 

Harder, who scored 24 times in 48 appearances for Arsenal's London rivals Chelsea, once again haunted the Gunners, striking her first goals in the competition in almost two years.

After three games in the Women’s Super League, Arsenal sit sixth, having won once and drawn twice, with the latest defeat piling more pressure on head coach Jonas Eidevall. 

The Gunners started brightly and took the lead in the 30th minute when Katie McCabe's delivery was swept home by Mariona Caldentey. 

However, the hosts drew level two minutes before the break when Georgia Stanway's searching ball picked out the head of captain Glodis Viggosdottir, who towered over her marker to loop the ball beyond Manuela Zinsberger. 

Bayern then took the lead in the 56th minute as a fast break saw Sydney Lohmann finish at the near post, only for Eidevall's side to respond nine minutes later when McCabe's corner was headed home by Laia Codina. 

But the German champions found themselves back in front soon after with a corner routine of their own, with Harder netting her first of the encounter with a header from Carolin Simon's cross. 

The Dane then notched her second with another well-taken header, before sealing her treble with an effort from close range, despite the best efforts of Zinsberger. 

Harder recorded a staggering 1.59 expected goals (xG) tally of 1.59 to Bayern's 1.89 total, with Arsenal wasteful with their chances, with six of their nine shots on target but unable to trouble Maria Grohs for the most part. 

Elsewhere in the other early kick-off, Hammarby recorded a historic 2-0 victory over Austrian side St. Polten at the Tele2 Arena for their first triumph in the group stage of the competition. 

Vilde Hasund handed the hosts an early lead in the 18th minute with a brilliantly taken finish, striking the ball low into the bottom corner following Ellen Wangerheim's lay-off. 

The victory was sealed two minutes from time by substitute Cathinka Tandberg, who took a touch and placed the ball beyond Carina Schluter to put them top of Group D ahead of Manchester City's star-studded clash with Barcelona. 

Manchester City captain Alex Greenwood is excited by the challenge that competing in the Champions League will bring to the club as they aim to win it for the first time.

They face Barcelona at home on Wednesday in their opening match in Group D, having failed make it past the qualifying rounds in the previous two years.

City ensured they would avoid the same fate this time around though, with an emphatic 8-0 aggregate victory over Paris FC.

The significance of being in the competition was not lost on Greenwood.

"It's the pinnacle to win the Champions League. To win this competition is another level," she said.

"It's exciting. I'm looking forward to that. We belong here, we've missed out and been frustrated by that."

Barcelona have won the tournament in three of the last four seasons, while they were beaten finalists in 2021-22, losing 3-1 to Lyon.

City last faced the Spanish giants in their last appearance in the competition, losing 4-2 on aggregate in the 2020-21 quarter-final before Barcelona went on to win their first Champions League.

Despite being knocked out, City did win 2-1 in the home leg in 2021. Of the team that played that day, only England team-mates Greenwood and Chloe Kelly remain at the club.

"I don't remember it clearly, but I do remember the game," said Greenwood.

"Our team has changed so much since then. The way we prepare is different, we look different now and are a lot more prepared."

One familiar face who could line up against Manchester City on Wednesday is Keira Walsh, who moved from them to Barcelona for a then world-record transfer fee of approximately £400,000 in September 2022.

"I could speak about Keira all day, she’s an incredible footballer," said Greenwood.

"What she does off the ball and on the ball, she's an incredible player. She's improved and added assists to her game, hopefully not tomorrow!"

Meanwhile, Gareth Taylor believes his club are about to face the biggest challenge they possibly could.

"I would say they are the best team in the world, especially over the period of the last four or five years," he said.

"Barcelona have really dominated this last three-year period. In terms of that taking the pressure off us, not at all. We've worked tremendously hard to be here.

"The cream always rises to the top. We want to see the best players on the best stage and this is what it is."

Chelsea kicked off their 2024-25 Women's Champions League campaign with a 3-2 victory at home to Real Madrid in Group B.

The victory puts the Blues in second in their group after one match, while it was a perfect start for manager Sonia Bompastor, who was taking charge of her first Champions League game for the club.

Bompastor led Lyon to the Champions League final in two of the last three seasons, winning it in 2021-22. She will be hoping to do the same in west London this season and things got off to the perfect start for her and Chelsea in this game.

Sjoeke Nusken's second-minute goal put the home side ahead - unsurprisingly, that is the quickest goal in the Champions League this season.

In miserable weather at Stamford Bridge, things got even better for the hosts after they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Nusken. Guro Reiten made it 2-0 from the spot in the 28th minute, with Madrid goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez unable to get a hand to it despite diving the right way.

But Madrid were back in it 11 minutes later, with Alba Redondo finishing tidily through Zecira Musovic's legs - her second Champions League goal in as many matches.

They were unable to make the most of that lifeline, with Chelsea restoring their two-goal advantage soon after the break. Mayra Ramirez scored her first goal of the season, heading in Lauren James' cross seven minutes after the restart.

The drama was not finished though. Substitute Linda Caicedo once again cut the deficit for the visitors, making it a nervy final seven minutes for Chelsea, but the home side held on to claim a valuable three points.

Chelsea have now lost just one of their last 19 group stage matches (W13 D5) and are unbeaten across their last 13 (W10 D3); the only other team to have participated in every group stage since they were introduced in 2021 and lost just once is Barcelona (W16 D1).

Elsewhere in Group B, Celtic were beaten 2-0 by FC Twente in their opener, which marked their first-ever game in the Champions League.

Kayleigh van Dooren netted twice for the Dutch side, although the Scottish champions held out until the 44th minute before conceding.

In truth, they were second-best with the visitors dominating possession, having over 70% of the ball, and taking double the shots on target of their hosts (six to three). Twente got a second five minutes from time and go top of the group.

Kadidiatou Diani scored twice as free-shooting Lyon made a flying start to their Women's Champions League campaign against Galatasaray.

The first Turkish side to qualify for the group stage, Galatasaray proved no match for the eight-time champions in Tuesday's Group A clash at the Groupama Stadium.

Diani was the leading scorer in last season's competition, scoring eight times, and continued her exceptional form with a double. She scored either side of Vanessa Gilles' goal on the stroke of half-time.

Lyon, who finished as runners-up to Barcelona last term, had 40 shots, which ranks as the joint third-highest total in a single match in the competition's history. 

Both higher totals came in 2023-24, with Barcelona having 41 shots in a match against Rosenborg, and Lyon themselves having 47 against St. Polten in March.

Lyon have lost just three of their last 28 home matches in the Champions League (W23 D2) and are unbeaten in their last six (W5 D1), scoring two or more goals in each of those games.

The French giants have won 13 of their previous 19 games in the group stage with their 68.4% win rate the joint-second highest of any team since group stages were introduced to the competition in 2021, behind only Barcelona. (89%).

Elsewhere in Group A, two-time European champions Wolfsburg slipped to a 1-0 defeat to Roma. Their captain Manuela Giugliano scored the decisive penalty in the 14th minute at Stadio Tre Fontane.

Giugliano has been directly involved in 16 goals in her 13 group-stage appearances for Roma in the competition (eight goals, eight assists).

Wolfsburg, who were beaten by Barca in the 2022-23 final, had 23 shots, 33 touches in Roma's box and hit the woodwork through Marina Hegering, but were unable to snatch an equaliser as Roma snapped a four-game winless run in the Champions League.

Arsenal right-back Emily Fox says the chance to play in the Champions League drew her to the club as she relishes the "craziness" of the competition.

Fox joined the Gunners in January from NWSL side North Carolina Courage and has since made 18 appearances for them in all competitions.

She has proved a key figure for not only Arsenal since her move but also the United States, as she played in every game for Emma Hayes' side at the Paris Olympics, helping the team to win a fifth gold medal.

Fox has started all seven of Arsenal's matches across all competitions this season and was part of the team that overturned a first-leg deficit to beat Hacken 4-1 and qualify for the Champions League group stage.

Ahead of her debut in the tournament proper against Bayern Munich, Fox revealed the tournament played a key role in her decision to join Arsenal.

"I'm super excited. It's one of the main reasons why I decided to come to Arsenal," Fox said.

"Starting on Wednesday, playing Bayern Munich, I'm looking forward to it. All the late-night games and the craziness - I think we got a glimpse of it with all of our qualification games. I'm really excited."

Arsenal started the week with a frustrating 0-0 draw with Everton in the Women's Super League, and have the defending champions, Chelsea, next up after Bayern.

With the North London side fighting in four competitions this season, Fox has urged the team to take each game as it comes in order to get the best out of themselves.

"I think really just focusing on each and every game and not looking too far ahead," she added when asked what she had learned from the Olympics.

"I think, for example, this week we have three games in one week, which is a lot. So, I think really being present with that because it can get a little crazy if you look at it spread out and zoomed out."

Arsenal will also face Juventus and Valerenga in the Champions League group stage, with their campaign beginning on Wednesday in Munich.

Jonas Eidevall says Arsenal are going to take a "full throttle" approach as they look to begin the Champions League on a high against Bayern Munich.

Arsenal survived a scare to qualify for the group stage of the competition, coming from behind after a first-leg loss to Hacken to win 4-1 on aggregate.

Having missed out on qualification last year, the Gunners make a return to the Champions League in a group that also includes Juventus and Norwegian side Valerenga.

Arsenal did meet Bayern the last time they played in the tournament, with Eidevall's side turning around a deficit to progress to the semi-finals with a 2-1 victory.

The Swede is relishing the test ahead of them on Wednesday and plans to push his team just as hard in the Champions League as he does in the Women's Super League.

"For me, the Champions League is very special," Eidevall said when asked where the European competition ranks in his priorities.

"We are in four competitions, but the Champions League and the league will always be very special to me and to the team.

"Right now, we are in a situation where we need to go full-throttle in both of them."

In the WSL, the Gunners are unbeaten, though they have won just one of their three matches so far, and were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw against Everton last time out.

Arsenal had 21 shots in that game, but only managed five on target, as they accumulated 0.74 expected goals, also hitting the post.

They have scored just three goals in the league this season and will come up against a free-flowing Bayern, who have scored 18 times in their opening five Frauen-Bundesliga matches.

While Eidevall was frustrated by their lack of a clinical edge against the Toffees, he hopes they can continue their staunch defensive play.

"[Looking at the defence] is the positive way to look at it," added Eidevall. "We are putting such high standards on ourselves, and we are so demanding on ourselves.

"When something is not working that becomes the focus, but defensively against Everton we played a very solid game, we were pressing really well.

"[Bayern] are really strong in counter-attacking. They move with a lot of paces and that part you have to look out for. They are looking really strong on their set-pieces so far this season.

"They are well-organised; they are a good team, but so are we. While they have strengths, they also have weaknesses, and we need to exploit them."

Aitana Bonmati has refused to rule out a move to the Women's Super League in the future, though she is also open to the prospect of ending her career at Barcelona.

Bonmati, who won the Ballon d'Or last year after helping Spain become world champions for the first time, recently put pen to paper on a new four-year contract with Barca.

She has been with the club since 2012, winning 23 trophies with the senior side to sit eighth in the all-time ranking for most titles with the Catalan giants.

Bonmati, who is Barcelona's all-time leading scorer, has won the Champions League on three occasions, netting in last season's final victory over Lyon.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Bonmati was asked if she could foresee a scenario in which she never leaves Barca, and she is open to the idea. 

"Yes, that would be nice to be a one-club player," the creative midfielder said.

"For now, I've been playing for Barcelona since I was 13 years old. It would be nice if I could end my career like this… but you never know.

"I'd never close the door. You never know what might happen in the future. But for now, I'm here for four more years, so I want to enjoy."

If Bonmati were to leave Spain, a number of WSL clubs – including Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal – would likely be in the hunt for her signature.

Bonmati appreciates the growing strength of the WSL, saying the investment in women's football in England compares favourably with that seen in Spain.

"It's a league that is so nice because England are investing a lot in women's football since the Euros – I cannot say the same about here in Spain," she said.

"Of course, it's a league that we have to keep watching, to be like them for helping women's football grow."

Barcelona open their Women's Champions League campaign against City on Wednesday, having been drawn into Group D alongside Hammarby and St Polten.

Sonia Bompastor was frustrated by the decision to postpone Chelsea's Women's Super League match against Manchester United due to their Champions League involvement.

Chelsea were set to face United at a sold-out Kingsmeadow on Sunday, but it was postponed with a week's notice after the European schedule was announced.

The Blues will meet Real Madrid in their Champions League group-stage opener on Tuesday, just two days after the WSL match was due to take place.

The decision prompted frustration among fans, and it was echoed by Bompaster, who believes the postponement hinders Chelsea's preparation.

"We were disappointed as players and staff. I think everyone has to understand we were supposed to play," said Bompastor in her press conference on Monday.

"We were in a very good team dynamic, and I think not having the opportunity to play changed everything in preparation for the game with Real Madrid.

"When you have the opportunity to play one game a week, with this decision being made to postpone the game, now we have been out of competition for 10 days which is completely different.

"If you look at the situation, the decision is not good. I think it is not good for all the English clubs who are in the Champions League competition."

Chelsea are one of three English teams competing in Europe's top tier this season, with Arsenal and Manchester City also qualifying for the tournament.

Bompastor has overseen a bright start at Chelsea already, winning both games in the WSL so far by an aggregate 8-0.

The Frenchwoman led Lyon to Champions League glory as their captain in 2011 and 2012, and as their head coach in 2021, a feat nobody else has achieved in the tournament's history.

And Bompastor is now keen to get underway in the competition as Chelsea's manager and expects a good show at Stamford Bridge.

"It's a really special competition, which means a lot to every player and every member of staff," Bompastor added.

"The Champions League is so competitive. You cannot underestimate any team. Real Madrid have had some changes in their squad, they've brought some new players, and they are different from last season.

"For me and the staff who have come in, it's the first time we are going to face Real Madrid. I know they are one of the most competitive teams in the Spanish league, and how many talented players they have in the squad.

"They love to possess the ball. It will be a tough game, and we are ready for that. For the fans in the stadium and watching on TV, it will be a great game."

As we gear up for another edition of the Women's Champions League, the excitement around this iconic club competition is as tantalising as ever.

This season's tournament, which starts on Tuesday, brings with it new managers and big moves from some top players, as the best and brightest across women's European football go toe-to-toe.

Sixteen teams have qualified and will now battle it out to be crowned champions of Europe in Lisbon next year.

The tournament will welcome Celtic and Galatasaray, who have become the first teams from Scotland and Turkiye, respectively, to reach the group stage in this current format.

There are also debutants in the form of Swedish side Hammarby, who turned heads in the qualifying rounds by knocking out last season's quarter-finalists Benfica.

After trailing in the first leg, Hammarby managed to claim a historic victory. No team had ever previously overturned a first-leg deficit in a Women's Champions League qualifier.

Barcelona are the reigning champions after they beat Lyon in the final back in May.

The growth and strength of the Women's Super League has been reflected in this year's final 16. With Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City all qualifying, England are now only the third nation to have three teams reach the group stage of the competition, with Germany and France having done so previously.

Europe's best are ready to battle it out, but who are the contenders, and which players could light up the 2024-25 edition?

The main contenders

Holders Barcelona will have a fight on their hands to retain their trophy this season, but they also have a strong chance of making more history themselves.

Barca are striving to become only the second club to win a third consecutive Champions League, and they will also bid to equal Lyon's record of appearing in five straight finals, with the French side having achieved the feat between 2016 and 2020.

Barca grew into a dominant force under former boss Jonatan Giraldez, who is now coaching Washington Spirit. 

Former assistant coach to Giraldez, Pere Romeu, will have to see if he can continue the club's quest for trophies, but the bar has been set high by that quadruple last season.

Teams will be looking for the chink in the Catalans' armour. Defensively, Barca were generally excellent last season, though they did have a slight defensive underperformance, conceding 1.6 goals more than would have been anticipated based on their expected goals against (xGA) figures in the Champions League, albeit when discounting own goals, that underperformance dropped to 0.6.

They also had the meanest defence in the competition when it came to clean sheets, keeping six to help them win nine games. 

The best sides in front of goal last season were, unsurprisingly, the two teams that reached the final – Barca and Lyon. They netted 36 times each across 11 games apiece.

Lyon, although under new leadership, are the most successful side in the history of the competition, winning eight titles, and they are difficult to look past as the team to beat.

Their free-shooting, free-flowing attacking system under former coach Sonia Bompastor saw them produce a whopping 270 attempts on goal last term, an average of 24.5 per game. Barca (237) were second for shots, and shot conversion rate (15.19%), meanwhile.

Lyon's xG was a tournament-leading 35.4, while Barca's 29.11 ranked second – however, Barca greatly overperformed their xG.

Indeed, their 6.89 xG overperformance was the highest positive differential in last season's competition, proving their finishing was of an exceptionally high standard.

It will not all be about Barca and Lyon, though. Two other former continental champions, Arsenal and Wolfsburg, are sides who will see themselves as ready to dethrone Barca and taste European glory once more.

Wolfsburg are six-time finalists and two-time champions, so they should never be discounted. Nor should Bayern Munich, who have won the Frauen-Bundesliga title in the last two seasons.

Bayern went out in the group stage last season, only winning one of their six games, but they should fare better this time around. 

And while they are yet to go all the way in Europe, Chelsea and Manchester City could also be forces to be reckoned with.

English trio to challenge

Bompastor led Lyon to victory as their captain in 2011 and 2012 and as their head coach in 2021, an incredible feat that nobody else has achieved in the tournament's history.

She now finds herself in charge of English Champions Chelsea and will be keen to lead her new side to their first Champions League title.

Chelsea, who reached the semi-finals, had the best shot conversion rate (15.38%) in the 2023-24 tournament, scoring 20 goals from 130 shots.

Bompastor will hope to build on her own success and knowledge of the competition and become the first manager to lead an English side to European success since Arsenal's victory in the 2006-07 season.

Despite winning everything there is to win domestically under previous boss Emma Hayes, this is a trophy that has evaded the Blues and they are desperate for success. They lost 4-0 in a humiliating final outing versus Barcelona in 2020-21.

Serial winner Lucy Bronze has been brought into the Chelsea fold by Bompastor, and a huge factor in that transfer was her experience of Champions League success. The ambitious defender will aim to become only the second player, after Conny Pohlers, to win the competition with three different sides, previously lifting the trophy with Lyon and Barcelona.

City, meanwhile, are appearing in the group stages for the first time since the competition's format was changed in 2021 and Gareth Taylor and his team will be keen to show Europe's best why they have pushed Chelsea all the way in the WSL in recent seasons. 

Last season's star players

Kadidiatou Diani was the leading scorer in last season's Champions League, netting eight goals, and she will be as dangerous as ever in Lyon's attacking line.

Those goals came from 4.77 xG — that 3.23 overperformance was higher than any other player in the competition. She was not only the highest goalscorer, but her finishes were a level above what would have been anticipated based on the quality of chances she had.

Ada Hegerberg is the all-time leading scorer in the competition with 64 goals. However, she underperformed her tournament-leading 7.33 xG by 2.33 last campaign, so there's scope for improvement for the 29-year-old.

Despite the xG underperformance, she still tallied up an impressive five goals to finish tied for fifth in the charts, along with Caroline Hansen, Tabitha Chawinga, Marie-Yasmine Alidou and Sam Kerr.

Lyon's Selma Bacha created the most chances in last season's competition (35), registering 4.12 expected assists (xA), though she only provided two assists in total.

Barcelona's Hansen (33) was second-highest for chances created, but led the way for xA (4.66) and assists (five), level with her team-mate Aitana Bonmati and just ahead of Bronze and Roma playmaker Manuela Giugliano (both four). 

Between the sticks, St. Polten's Carina Schluter was the busiest goalkeeper, making 43 saves, though Chelsea's Zecira Musovic boasted the best save percentage (81.82%) of any shot-stopper to play at least 90 minutes.

Jennifer Falk, of BK Hacken, was the best-performing goalkeeper when it came to goals prevented, however, conceding 10, which is 3.85 fewer than would have been anticipated based on the quality of shots she faced, according to Opta's expected goals on target (xGoT) model.

The groups

Four groups of four teams will battle it out to reach the knockout stages. There are some top ties to look forward to before we get to the last eight, and undoubtedly there will be some surprises along the way.

Group A boasts two former champions with 10 titles between them in Lyon and Wolfsburg. The two sides have met in finals of the tournament on four occasions, with Lyon victorious in three of those instances.

But Wolfsburg, who thrashed Fiorentina in qualifying, have lost some huge names over the summer. Germany midfielder Lena Oberdorf, Poland forward Ewa Pajor and Netherlands defender Dominique Janssen all exited ahead of the new campaign.

Pajor has made a fantastic start to life at Barcelona, scoring six goals already, and generating the highest xG of any player in the top five leagues so far in 2024-25 (6.56).

Roma will join the two giants from Germany and France. Their best finish in the tournament saw them progress to the last eight on their competition debut in 2022-23. 

The group's final side, Galatasaray, battled hard through the qualifying rounds and stamped their mark on the competition by knocking out three-time quarter-finalists Slavia to become the first Turkish team to reach the group stage.

Group B has served up a familiar matchup with Chelsea and Real Madrid being drawn together for a third consecutive year.

Dutch Champions Twente will bring an attacking brand of football to the tournament and should not be underestimated. They scored 20 goals to qualify for the group stages. Debutants Celtic, meanwhile, will also look to make their mark.

Group C could be considered the group of death, with former champions Arsenal, Bayern and surprise package Juventus, who caused the biggest upset of the qualifying rounds, going head-to-head.

The Bianconere became the first team to knock out Paris Saint-Germain before the quarter-finals since Tyreso in 2013-14, ending the dreams of English number one Mary Earps after her big move from Manchester United.

Group D will host the most exciting fixture of the group stages as holders Barca take on Man City in the opening game. The teams have met previously in a quarter-final in 2020-21, with Barca going on to win the tournament that year.

St. Polten have qualified for the fourth time in five seasons, and Hammarby have shown they are not scared of the bigger sides by knocking out one of last year's quarter-finalists Benfica in the qualifying rounds. 

The tournament promises to be exciting, with some intriguing storylines to follow from top to bottom.

Will Barcelona win a third straight crown, can Lyon extend their record number of titles, or is it time for an English champion for the first time since 2007? We can't wait to find out. 

Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall slammed the "amateurish behaviour" of the Women's Super League, who he feels are damaging English teams' chances of success in European competition.

The Gunners are one of three English teams competing in the Women's Champions League group stages this season, along with Manchester City and Chelsea.

All three are due to commence their campaigns in midweek, but while Arsenal and City are in WSL action on Sunday, Chelsea's scheduled clash with Manchester United was postponed due to player welfare concerns.

Eidevall's side, who face Bayern Munich on Wednesday, then take on the Blues three days later, and the head coach feels his side are at a "sporting disadvantage" with their fixture congestion.

"It's not a good situation," he told reporters during his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday's clash with Everton. "There are 16 teams involved in the Champions League, how many teams are playing on Sunday, October 6?

"We are, that is one. If it was only us, it would be an Arsenal problem - but it's also Man City. The only two teams that are playing are English teams. The only other team scheduled to play was Chelsea.

"[It's the] first time that three [English] teams reach the group stage. [It] should be celebrated, but it's now a problem. It's very important for the whole league that we are successful in Europe.

"Now, obviously, it's worse for us because of the amateurish behaviour of no plan and taking away the game like Chelsea.

"It puts us into play on Sunday, then Wednesday away at Bayern Munich, who don't play Sunday, then we return to play Chelsea on Saturday (October 12).

"[That is] less preparation than our opponents. We have been handed a sporting disadvantage in two huge games for us."

Nevertheless, Eidevall insists his players will tackle the busy period head on, rather than feel sorry for themselves.

"We won't lie down and give up because the situation is tough," he said. "We will dig deeper than we ever have before, but what needs to change is the approach to Champions League football and respect to the supporters.

"It's not good enough to blame UEFA, the only one who hasn't acted on the information is the WSL."

Manchester City will face Champions League holders Barcelona in their first group-stage appearance in the competition after the draw was made on Friday. 

City, who were knocked out in first-round qualifying in the 2022-23 season by Real Madrid, will also face SKN St Polten of Austria and Swedish side Hammarby. 

Women's Super League champions Chelsea, who finished as runners-up in the 2020-21 edition, have been handed a tough draw to reach the knockout stages. 

Sonia Bompastor's side will face Celtic, who have reached this stage of the competition for the first time in their history, along with Real Madrid and FC Twente. 

Meanwhile, Arsenal, who sealed their spot in the group stage with an emphatic 4-1 aggregate win over Hacken, have also been dealt a difficult group. 

The Gunners will compete against German champions Bayern Munich, Italian giants Juventus and Norwegian side Valerenga in Group C. 

Lyon, who have won the competition a record eight times, have been placed in Group A alongside Wolfsburg, Roma and Galatasaray. 

Group A

Lyon, Wolfsburg, Roma and Galatasaray. 

Group B

Chelsea, Real Madrid, Twente and Celtic. 

Group C

Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Juventus and Valerenga. 

Group D 

Barcelona, Manchester City, SKN St. Polten and Hammarby. 

After missing out on the first leg due to visa issues, Jamaican international Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw once again showed her class in second leg action, as she scored a brace that propelled Manchester City to a 3-0 win over Paris FC and into the Women’s Champions League group stages.

Gareth Taylor said Manchester City are back “where they belong” after they finally ended their disappointing streak in Europe’s top club competition and reaching the, by completing a comprehensive 8-0 aggregate ­victory over Paris FC.

Shaw found the target in the 31st and 65th minutes, after Chloe Kelly (2nd) opened the scoring in a lopsided contest at the Joie Stadium, as City wrapped up a comprehensive 8-0 aggregate scoreline.

Taylor’s confident-looking side were not involved in Europe at all last season and had been eliminated by Real Madrid in the qualifying rounds of the two campaigns before that. They will now contest the last-16 stage of the competition for the first time since 2020-21, when the knockout format was still in use, and will harbour realistic ambitions of going deep into the competition on the evidence of their strong showing over the two legs of this second-round tie.

“It’s a big honour for us. This is where we want to be. The qualification process is really tough. I’m not the only coach, I’m sure, who has sat, over the past couple of years, with a squad that felt capable of not just being in the Champions League, but actually doing something within it,” Taylor said in a post-game interview.

“Man City is a big club. We feel like we belong there, because we are a big team and we have huge ambitions, but of course the club recognises how difficult it is to be there because of the qualification process. I never felt safe, even at 5-0. A lot of things can go wrong in football. Nothing is a formality,” he added.

Kelly put City in front when she pounced on a loose ball and slotted home inside five minutes.

She then turned provider for Shaw with a weighted cross that the towering Jamaican lashed home for her first goal of the season.

Shaw then registered her second from the penalty spot after she was taken out inside the 18-yard box.

Manchester City, who were semi-finalists in 2017 and 2018, can now look forward to the group-stage draw on Friday and Taylor is cautiously optimistic about their chances there.

“I think getting out of the group stages is going to be our next objective, and once we get out of the group stages, anything can happen. We just want a crack at it, that’s what we want,” he said.