Women's Champions League reaches last 32
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
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The new UEFA Women's Champions League gets into full swing on Wednesday when the round of 32 first legs are played with European titleholders FCR 2001 Duisburg among three German clubs in action.
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The new UEFA Women's Champions League gets into full swing on Wednesday when the round of 32 first legs are played. All games can be followed live on the uefa.com matchcentre.
New system
Whereas the previous UEFA Women's Cup did not become a knockout competition until the quarter-finals, the two-legged ties now start at this stage. European titleholders FCR 2001 Duisburg and the champions of the 24 top-ranked nations are joined by the seven qualifying round winners, all of whom were among the runners-up from the eight leading leagues given entry for the first time.
Duisburg trip
Duisburg, like all the seeded clubs, are away in the first leg and at home next Wednesday, playing WFC Universitet Vitebsk of Belarus, with the winners to face FC Zürich Frauen or last season's Swedish runners-up Linköpings FC in the round of 16 on 4 and 11 November. German champions 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam have a tricky trip to Finland's FC Honka Espoo while Viktória FC Szombathely are welcoming FC Bayern München.
Former champions
Last season's runners-up Zvezda-2005 visit ŽNK SFK 2000 Sarajevo, while of the other former UEFA Women's Cup winners involved, Arsenal LFC are at PAOK FC and Umeå IK travel to Ukraine's Zhilstroy-1 Kharkov. The side that comes through the latter tie will face either WFC Rossiyanka or Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, who are hoping to compete in the final on Thursday 20 May in the Spanish capital, as the showpiece will now be held in the same city as the men's UEFA Champions League final, two nights before.
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