The 2023–24 UEFA Women’s Champions League is the 23rd edition of the European women’s club football championship organized by UEFA, and the 15th edition since being rebranded as the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
It is the third edition to feature a 16-team group stage.
16 teams have secured a place in this year’s group stage. French football is the most represented with 3 clubs (Lyon, PSG, and PFC), Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt are Germany’s ambassadors, and Spain’s two giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are present.
Chelsea are English football’s sole representatives.
Bompastor’s Lyon On A Mission
UWCL’s all-time winners, Olympique Lyonnais, with 8 titles (5 of which were in a row) are ready to go all in this season to bring the cup back to France.
The Fenottes’ start of the season has been excellent, with 8 wins in 8 matches, having scored 33 goals (average of 4,4 goals/match) and only conceded 2.
Sonia Bompastor will benefit from the depth in her squad to go far in the European competition this season.
Last year, the injuries (but Chelsea and their luck too) stood in the way and made Lyon’s journey in the tournament they love most, short.
The arrival of American entrepreneur Michele Kang proves how serious Lyon is in regaining their place as Europe’s top force.
They signed French international Kadidiatou Diani from PSG this summer, added Melchie Dumornay, Haiti’s wonderkid, and kept their main stars in the Rhône area.
“We have regrets at what happened last season. There was a lot of frustration and disappointment at losing in the quarter-finals,” admitted Bompastor recently, before adding “we want to give ourselves a chance of getting to the final and winning it. We have the quality to do that.”
Of course, you have the quality!
From Lindsey Horan, Ada Hegerberg, and an on-fire Eugénie Le Sommer, to Selma Bacha, Wendie Renard, Danielle Van de Donk, and teammates, Lyon cannot but aim big.
Lyon should easily top a group containing the Czech Republic’s Slavia Prague, St Poelten of Austria, and Norway’s Brann.
Their first head-to-head is on Tuesday, November 14 in Prague against the Czechs Champions.
In the pre-match press conference, captain Wendie Renard, the player who played most UWCL matches in history, said, “I think that the fact of having played so many matches in the UWCL shows the consistency of OL in this competition. We know the road is long but we aim to go far and it starts tomorrow at 9 pm.”
Let’s see if Renard’s teammates will get their trophy #9 and end Barcelona’s European domination.
All Groups
Group A: FC Barcelona – Rosengård – Benfica – Eintracht Frankfurt
Group B: Lyon – SK Slavia Prague – SKN St. Polten Frauen – Brann
Group C: Bayern Munich – Paris Saint-Germain – Roma – Ajax
Group D: Chelsea – Real Madrid – BK Hacken – Paris FC
Match Day 1 Schedule
Tuesday 14/11/2023
FC Rosengard – Eintracht Frankfurt: 6.45 pm (CET)
SKN St. Polten Frauen – Brann: 6.45 pm (CET)
FC Barcelona – Benfica: 9:00 pm (CET)
SK Slavia Prague – Lyon: 9:00 pm (CET)
Wednesday 15/11/2023
Paris FC – BK Hacken: 6.45 pm (CET)
Bayern Munich – AS Roma: 6.45 pm (CET)
Ajax Amsterdam – PSG: 9:00 pm (CET)
Real Madrid – Chelsea FC: 9:00 pm (CET)
Key Points
Final’s Venue: San Mamés, Bilbao, Spain
Tournament’s duration: 14 November 2023 – 25 May 2024
Defending champions: Barcelona
Most Successful Clubs:
- Olympique Lyonnais – 8 titles
- 1. FFC Frankfurt – 4 titles
- VfL Wolfsburg – 2 titles
Broadcasters:
- DAZN (Free streaming on YouTube except for France, Germany, and Spain)
- BeIN Sports (MENA Region only)
Favorites: Barcelona – Olympique Lyonnais – Chelsea – Bayern Munich
Biggest absentees: Arsenal – Wolfsburg – Manchester United
All-time top scorer: Ada Hegerberg (59 goals and counting)
