Women’s Champions League 2024/25: Arsenal Aiming to Make Their Mark

Having failed to secure a place in the Women’s Champions League last season, Arsenal will be itching to mark their return to Europe’s most prominent tournament with a bang.

The calibre of opponents standing between Arsenal and a place in the knockout stage will test their mettle, but manager Jonas Eidevall will back his side to advance from a tricky group.

Read on as we analyse the key aspects of Arsenal’s 2024/25 Champions League campaign.

Group Stage Draw

The Women’s Champions League will keep its group stage format for the 2024/25 season, but changes are coming.

UEFA plans to introduce a new single-league format that will accommodate 18 teams next year, paving the way for more clubs to compete at the top level.

The tournament will follow the 16-team group stage format this time around, with four teams from each competing for a place in the knockout phase.

The top two sides from each group will progress to the next round. The quarter-finals and semi-finals will be played over two legs before a one-off contest in the final.

Here is the 2024/25 Women’s Champions League group stage draw:

Group A: Olympique Lyonnais, Galatasaray, AS Roma, Wolfsburg.

Group B: Chelsea, Real Madrid, Twente, Celtic.

Group C: Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Juventus, Valeranga.

Group D: Barcelona, Manchester City, SKN St. Polten, Hammarby.

The key dates for the 2024/25 Champions League are as follows:

Matchday 1: October 8-9

Matchday 2: October 16-17

Matchday 3: November 12-13

Matchday 4: November 20-21

Matchday 5: December 11-12

Matchday 6: December 17-18

Quarter-finals: March 18-19 & 26-27

Semi-finals: April 19-20 & 26-27

Final: TBC

Arsenal Champions League preview

Eidevall’s side opened their Champions League qualifiers campaign with a thumping 6-0 victory over Scottish side Rangers, with Australian winger Caitlin Foord bagging a spectacular hat-trick.

Foord is one of the first names on Arsenal’s team sheet, and she will be crucial in their bid to defy the odds and potentially reach the Champions League final this season.

The Aussie star bagged four goals and four assists in 22 games last term. She has picked up where she left off this season and her remarkable goalscoring form has made her a popular pick on Australian betting apps.

Aussie punters will bet on Foord to build on her decent numbers from last term, and she has already shown glimpses of what Arsenal fans can expect from her this season.

After swatting aside Rangers, Arsenal claimed a narrow victory over Rosenborg before falling to a 1-0 defeat at Swedish side BK Hacken.

However, the Gunners turned the tie on its head in the reverse fixture, securing an emphatic 4-0 win thanks to goals from Lia Walti, Mariona Caldentey, Beth Mead and Frida Maanum.

The result helped Arsenal banish the demons of last year's premature exit against Paris and confirm their place among the European elite.

Their toughest opponents in the group stage will be Bayern Munich, and they will need all the quality they can muster to get the better of the German champions.

Key players such as Emily Fox will be keen to make a telling contribution on the continental stage.

The United States Women’s National Team (USMNT) star has been a regular for the Gunners this season, but she will likely have her hands full against Bayern.

The German giants represent a stern test for Arsenal. However, if they can navigate the challenge, they should be capable of mounting a deep run in the tournament this season.