UWCL playoffs live stream, schedule: Arsenal ready to turn things around?
A memorable UEFA Women’s Champions League season resumes this week with the first leg of the knockout stage qualifiers highlighted by Arsenal’s attempts to defend their title and a group of debutants hoping to extend their stay in Europe’s top club competition.
The Gunners will face Belgians OH Leuven, who became the Cinderella of the Champions League during their very first appearance in the competition proper. Leuven remained undefeated against a handful of reputable sides during the league stage, proving their worth against some Champions League regulars. How they will measure up against one of the game’s elite in Arsenal, who are in the midst of a resurgence after a poor start to the season, is another question entirely, however.
UWCL newcomers Manchester United also return to action with a draw against Atletico Madrid, a match that will provide a litmus test of their progress amid a memorable season. Two-time Women’s Champions League winners Wolfsburg will face six-time Italian champions Juventus, and the schedule is rounded off by Real Madrid’s showdown with Paris FC.
The winners of these matches await meetings with Barcelona, OL Lyonnes, Chelsea and Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals after this quartet secured a direct passage to the last eight with a top four finish in the league stage.
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How to watch
Paramount+ and CBS Sports Network will each provide a one-stop shop for the first leg of the Women’s Champions League knockout stage qualifiers, with both platforms simulcasting all coverage and every minute of the action. Coverage will begin with a new edition of the UEFA Women’s Champions League Today pre-match show before the start of the match, while studio coverage will resume between matches and conclude with the post-match show to recap Wednesday and Thursday’s action.
UEFA Women’s Champions League table
Playoff schedule first leg of the knockout stage
All US/Eastern times
Scenarios for the knockout stage playoffs
Are Arsenal changing things? The reigning European champions have gotten off to a slow start this season, so much so that they missed out on a direct place in the Champions League quarter-finals and currently sit outside the top three in the Women’s Super League as things stand, meaning qualification for next season’s competition is not a sure thing. But they may have officially changed course: they have lost just once in their last 14 matches, a streak that includes winning the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup. The list also includes impressive wins over Women’s Super League leaders Chelsea and Manchester City in recent weeks, a signal that the Gunners could be peaking at just the right time as the business end of the European season begins.
They have an intriguing obstacle ahead of them in OH Leuven, the Belgian team who became everyone’s favorite underdog and reached the round of 16 in their first ever Champions League season. They remained unbeaten against Paris FC, Twente, Roma and Paris Saint-Germain but their two defeats in the league phase could be telling. Defeats to Barcelona and Arsenal, who claimed a 3-0 victory on Matchday 6, indicate that Leuven could still be behind the game’s elites.
Can Manchester United continue? Manchester United have been on a steady upward trajectory since their official formation in 2018, a path that has seen them reach new heights this season. They currently sit second in the WSL, eight points behind league leaders Manchester City, but thus leapfrogging Chelsea and Arsenal, and finished just one point out of a direct place in the UWCL quarter-finals, returning to their first ever European season as a true dark horse. Their knockout stage clash against Atletico Madrid, however, will test them in more ways than one as United continue a memorable season.
United got the better of Atleti in a 1-0 matchday two victory thanks to a goal from Fridolina Rolfo, who has been a godsend since her summer move from Barcelona. Rolfo has scored three goals for United in the Champions League so far, doing his best to contribute to a timid attacking unit that has scored just seven times during the league stage. United are also one of three teams qualifying for the round of 16 with a negative goal differential, although they will be counting on U.S. Women’s National Team goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce to stand out. Atleti, however, have their own attacking star in Spanish international Fiamma Benitez, who has four UWCL goals this season. The Spaniards also benefit from experience: they have played four of their last five home-and-away matches in UEFA competition, while United have one win and one defeat, a sign of their lack of experience at this level.
