Titleholder Arsenal drawn on path to face Chelsea in Women's Champions League quarterfinals

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Arsenal's Olivia Smith runs with the ball during the women's Champions League opening phase soccer match between OH Leuven and Arsenal, in Leuven, Belgium, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Barcelona's Alexia Putellas, left, and vClara Mateo jump for the ball during a Women's Champions League soccer match between Paris FC and Barcelona in Paris, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) — Arsenal's Olivia Smith runs with the ball during the women's Champions League opening phase soccer match between OH Leuven and Arsenal, in Leuven, Belgium, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

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5:06 AM on Thursday, December 18, 2025

The Associated Press

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Titleholder Arsenal must win a quick rematch with OH Leuven for the right to face city rival Chelsea in a Women’s Champions League quarterfinal that was drawn on Thursday.

Arsenal beat Leuven 3-0 in Belgium on Wednesday to finish fifth in the inaugural 18-team standings format, sending the defending champion into the knockout playoffs round.

Arsenal will go back to Leuven for the playoffs first leg on Feb. 11 or 12, with the winner over two games hosting English champion Chelsea in the first leg of the quarterfinals on March 24 or 25.

An all-Spanish quarterfinal path was set up with three-time champion Barcelona drawn to face the winner of the two-leg playoff between Real Madrid and Paris FC.

Record eight-time European champion OL Lyonnes is waiting in the quarterfinals for the winner of the playoff between Wolfsburg and Juventus.

Manchester United meets Atletico Madrid in the playoffs for the prize of facing Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.

The new Women’s Champions League format has followed the men’s that launched last year, with an opening league phase of six rounds instead of eight.

The top four in the standings — Barcelona, OL Lyonnes, Chelsea and Bayern — advanced direct to the quarterfinals. Teams placed fifth to 12th went to the playoffs rounds and those from 13th to 18th were eliminated.

The final is on May 23 in Oslo, Norway.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer