Women’s Champions League Quarterfinals: Barcelona vs Real Madrid & More

The Women’s Champions League quarter-finals begin Tuesday, featuring a highly anticipated clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid, alongside an all-English London derby between Arsenal and Chelsea.

Barcelona, aiming for a sixth consecutive final appearance, will host Real Madrid on Wednesday in the first leg of their quarter-final tie. The Spanish giants met in the 2022 quarter-finals, drawing a record crowd of 91,553 at Barcelona’s Camp Nou Stadium. This year’s second leg will be the first women’s game played at the newly renovated Camp Nou.

Despite Barcelona’s historical dominance, Real Madrid secured a victory over them earlier in 2025. However, more recent results favor Barcelona, with wins of 4-0 in the Spanish league, 2-0 in the Spanish Super Cup, and another 4-0 victory in the Copa de la Reina. The teams are scheduled to meet again in Madrid in the Spanish league between the two Champions League quarter-final legs.

Barcelona forward Caroline Graham Hansen expressed her enthusiasm for the competition, stating to UEFA, “I have so many good memories from the Women’s Champions League and those memories supply you so much motivation to try to craft it happen again, as it’s like an addiction. You just wish that feeling to happen as often as possible, and you have one chance every year to win that trophy.”

Arsenal and Chelsea will face off on Tuesday at Arsenal Stadium in the first-ever Women’s Champions League quarter-final featuring teams from the same city. Arsenal forward Beth Mead told UEFA, “Only one English team is going to travel through from that quarter-final but that’s a challenge we can hopefully step up to.” Chelsea finished third in the league phase, tied with Barcelona for the fewest goals conceded (3).

Elsewhere, Wolfsburg will host Lyon in a rekindled rivalry, marking their 12th meeting in the Women’s Champions League – the most between any two teams in the competition’s history. The record will be broken in the return leg in France. Manchester United will make its debut in the quarter-finals, facing Bayern Munich.

Bayern Munich will be without Lea Schüller, who joined Manchester United in January after a successful spell with the German club. United also features former Bayern players Julia Zigiotti Olme and Fridolina Rolfö. The first legs of the semi-finals are scheduled for April, with the return matches in May. The final will be held in Oslo on May 23.

Aitana Bonmatí, a key midfielder for Barcelona and the Spanish national team, is currently recovering from a left fibula injury, according to FC Barcelona’s official website. She was recently nominated for the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award.