Women’s Champions League draw: Chelsea face PSG and Real Madrid, Arsenal meet eight-time winners Lyon

Arsenal and Chelsea have discovered their UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage opponents after the draw was made in Nyon on Monday.

Chelsea face a tough task after being joined in Group A by fellow European heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, along with debutants Vllaznia.

After reaching the final in 2021, Emma Hayes’ side will now be looking to right the wrongs of a dismal campaign in last season’s competition following their elimination at the group stage.

Real Madrid have already triumphed over English opposition this season after beating Manchester City in the first round of qualifying.

PSG reached the semi-finals of the competition in 2021/22, while Vllaznia are the first Albanian club to reach the last 16 of a UEFA competition since KF Tirana in the 1989/90 men’s European Cup.

Arsenal’s reward for beating Ajax over two legs (3-2 on aggregate) sees Jonas Eidevall’s side face eight-time champions and current holders Lyon in Group C, along with Juventus and Zurich.

The north Londoners reached the quarter-finals of last season’s competition, where they were beaten 3-1 on aggregate by Wolfsburg.

They remain the only English club to have won the tournament after winning the 2006/07 tournament.

Elsewhere, Group B is comprised of Wolfsburg, Slavia Praha, St Polten and competition debutants AS Roma.

Group D looks particularly tasty, with last season’s finalists and 2021 champions Barcelona joined by Bayern Munich, Rosengard and Benfica.

As reigning Women’s Super League champions, Chelsea were granted automatic entry into the competition. They were joined in pot 1 by reigning Women’s Champions League holders Lyon, German champions Wolfsburg and their Spanish counterparts Barcelona.

Meanwhile, the Gunners had to pre-qualify for the group stage following their second-place finish in last season’s WSL.

What happens after the group stage?

The top two teams from each group will progress to the quarter-finals. The group stage will conclude in December, with a draw for the quarter and semi-finals set to take place on January 20 at 12pm UK time.

The quarter and semi-finals consist of home and away legs A full list of dates from the competition can be viewed below.

Group stage

Matchday 1: October 19/20

Matchday 2: October 26/27

Matchday 3: November 23/24

Matchday 4: December 7/8

Matchday 5: December 15/16

Matchday 6: December 21/22

Quarter-final & semi-final draw: January 20, 12:00 GMT

Quarter-finals

First leg: March 21/22

Second leg: March 29/30

Semi-finals

First leg: April 22/23

Second leg: April 29/30

Final

June 3 or 4 (PSV Stadion, Eindhoven)