Women’s Champions League: Manchester United Celebrate Historic Win as Chelsea Stumble and Barcelona Shine
The Women’s Champions League returned this week with the opening round of the inaugural league phase — and it did not disappoint.
Holders Arsenal were handed an early setback, Chelsea endured a frustrating night, while Manchester United marked their European debut with a hard-fought victory. Meanwhile, Barcelona and Olympique Lyonnais have emerged as early frontrunners, with Wolfsburg, Atletico Madrid, and Real Madrid also producing emphatic attacking displays.
Below, The Athletic breaks down the key talking points from an eventful opening week of fixtures across Europe.
Manchester United Win — But Need More Support
“Chelsea are losing!”
The delighted cry of a young Manchester United fan outside Leigh Sports Village set the tone long before kick-off on Wednesday night. For United supporters, simply being the only English side to emerge from the first week with a win was reason enough to celebrate.
United’s 1-0 triumph over Valerenga might not have been a classic, but it represented something far greater — the culmination of a seven-year journey since the club’s women’s team was re-formed in 2018 after being disbanded in 2005 following the Glazers’ takeover.
A first-half penalty from captain Maya Le Tissier proved decisive, as she calmly sent goalkeeper Tove Enblom the wrong way. The moment capped another outstanding performance from arguably England’s most in-form centre-back.
The match itself was low on drama, but United’s control was rarely in doubt. Valerenga managed just three shots — one on target — and posed minimal threat until a brief late spell of pressure in the closing minutes. United, meanwhile, created 16 shots (seven on target) but lacked cutting edge in front of goal.
Manager Marc Skinner will be pleased with the three points but knows tougher challenges lie ahead. United share their group with Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Lyon, Wolfsburg, and Paris Saint-Germain — all of whom, bar PSG, began their campaigns with victories. Those fixtures will test United’s depth and ruthlessness in attack.
Despite the occasion’s magnitude, only chief operating officer Collette Roche represented the United hierarchy in attendance. Skinner’s post-match comments underscored the need for greater investment from Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazers if United are to compete with Europe’s elite.
Still, there are encouraging signs. Le Tissier continues to lead from the back, and summer signing Jess Park looks increasingly central to United’s attacking identity. For a team making its first steps in Europe, United’s performance was a statement of intent — but also a reminder that ambition requires backing.
Chelsea Toil in Twente
If Manchester United celebrated a debut victory, Chelsea were left to reflect on missed opportunities in their 1-1 draw away to Twente.
Manager Sonia Bompastor was quick to call for more “desire” from her players after a performance that lacked bite and efficiency. For a club of Chelsea’s stature — nine-time Women’s Super League champions — such words carry weight.
The statistics told one story: Chelsea dominated possession, registered 64 touches in the opposition box, and made 188 successful passes into the final third, compared with Twente’s 34. Yet the Dutch champions — a young, energetic side with nearly all players under 25 — showed greater hunger, especially on the counterattack.
Bompastor made several changes from the weekend’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United, resting key midfielders Erin Cuthbert, Wieke Kaptein, and Keira Walsh, while deploying Sandy Baltimore at left-back. However, the rotation seemed to blunt Chelsea’s rhythm.
Execution, as Bompastor pointed out, remains Chelsea’s Achilles heel this season. Despite averaging over two goals per domestic game, their finishing has faltered in key moments. Against Twente, they missed three big chances out of four created, requiring a late penalty — converted coolly by Baltimore — to salvage a draw.
“We created a lot of opportunities and couldn’t score more than one,” said Bompastor post-match. “We had multiple situations in the box and 18 crosses, but only six times we were first on the ball. This is not enough in a Champions League game.”
Chelsea’s group draw offers some respite, but this was undoubtedly a missed opportunity. While Twente celebrated, Chelsea will know that the single point could yet prove valuable in avoiding a playoff path later in the campaign.
Lyon Punish Arsenal — And Prove a Point
A four-game winless streak, including back-to-back defeats, has left Arsenal in what some have termed “crisis mode.” Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to Olympique Lyonnais exposed familiar flaws — sluggish ball progression, a vulnerable defence, and a goalkeeper, Daphne van Domselaar, still struggling for form.
But credit where it’s due: Lyon were brilliant. Former Barcelona manager Jonatan Giráldez has quickly stamped his identity on the French champions. His side’s aggressive pressing, direct passing, and relentless tempo overwhelmed Arsenal from the start.
Haitian forward Melchie Dumornay, just 22, embodied Lyon’s intensity — capitalising on Arsenal’s defensive lapses with pace and precision. Behind her, Lyon’s star-studded bench, featuring Ada Hegerberg, Jule Brand, and Lily Yohannes, highlighted their staggering depth.
Giraldez’s transition from Barcelona’s possession-heavy style to Lyon’s dynamic, vertical football has been seamless. Tuesday’s victory not only reaffirmed Lyon’s European pedigree but also marked them as early favourites for the title once again.
Barcelona Back to Their Brilliant Best
If Lyon impressed, Barcelona dazzled. Their 7-1 demolition of Bayern Munich was a masterclass in attacking football — an exhibition of precision, pace, and positional fluidity.
Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas opened the scoring with a trademark curling finish in the fourth minute, setting the tone for a performance that bordered on perfection. Claudia Pina rounded off the rout with her second goal deep into stoppage time, as Barcelona’s dominance extended to an astonishing 38 goals scored and just two conceded across all competitions this season.
Bayern, by contrast, were disjointed and passive, offering little resistance as Barcelona’s fluid combinations carved them open repeatedly. It was a humbling night for the German champions and a reminder of just how far ahead the Catalans remain.
Seventeen first-team departures over the summer raised questions about Barcelona’s stability, but those doubts look misplaced. With a new generation rising to complement established stars, Jonatan Giraldez’s former side appear as formidable as ever.
Results
- Juventus 2–1 Benfica
- Paris FC 2–2 OH Leuven
- Arsenal 1–2 Lyon
- Barcelona 7–1 Bayern Munich
- Real Madrid 6–2 Roma
- Twente 1–1 Chelsea
- Manchester United 1–0 Valerenga
- St Pölten 0–6 Atletico Madrid
- Wolfsburg 4–0 Paris Saint-Germain
The first round of the Women’s Champions League league phase delivered drama, dominance, and a glimpse of what’s to come. Manchester United made history, Chelsea faltered, Arsenal stumbled, and Barcelona — once again — reminded Europe why they’re the standard-bearers of the women’s game.
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