Meet the UEFA Women's Champions League semi-finalists

The UEFA Women's Champions League semi-finalists have ten titles and 18 final appearances between them.

We introduce the contenders.

Barcelona vs Wolfsburg

Barcelona (ESP, holders)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2020/21): 2
How they qualified: Holders, Spanish champions
Group stage: Group C winners (W6 D0 L0 F24 A1)
Quarter-finals: W8-3agg vs Real Madrid (W3-1a, W5-2h)
Top scorer (group stage onward): Alexia Putellas 8
Last season: Winners
Domestic honours: 7 x league champions, 8 x cup winners
Previous European best: Winners (2020/21)
Semi-final record: W2 L2

Campaign a nutshell

Their group progress was never in doubt after the opening 4-1 defeat of Arsenal and their performances throughout matched the domination they showed in beating Chelsea 4-0 in last season's final. That continued against Madrid as they had to come from behind in both legs, doing so in style and thrilling the record 91,553 crowd at Camp Nou.

Coach: Jonatan Giráldez

The former assistant to Lluís Cortés replaced the UEFA Women's Champions League-winning coach in the summer and has kept Barcelona's stellar run going without missing a step.

Key player: Alexia Putellas

The UEFA Women's Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or winner keeps hitting new heights, whether pushing from wide in midfield or racking up the goals in attack. She hit three over the two legs against Madrid, at vital times.

Did you know?

Barcelona were the first Spanish finalists in 2019 and winners two years later.

Wolfsburg (GER)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2020/21): 3
How they qualified: German league runners-up; W5-5agg (3-0pens) vs Bordeaux
Group stage: Group A winners (W3 D2 L1 F17 A7)
Quarter-finals: W3-1agg vs Arsenal (D1-1a, W2-0h)
Top scorer (group stage onward): Tabea Wassmuth 9
Last season: Quarter-finals
Domestic honours: 6 x league champions, 8 x cup winners
Previous European best: Winners (2012/13, 2013/14)
Semi-final record: W5 L1

Campaign a nutshell

Needed penalties to pip Bordeaux to a group stage berth and then let a 3-1 lead slip at Chelsea, before only picking up one point from their two games against Juventus. Already injury depleted, their hopes hung by a thread, but Wolfsburg then saw off Servette and crucially beat old rivals Chelsea 4-0 to dramatically reach the last eight. Pegged back in the last minute at quarter-final opponents Arsenal, the German side conjured another fine performance at home to a London club to ensure progress.

Coach: Tommy Stroot

Born just on the German side of the border with the Netherlands, Stroot won two Dutch titles in four seasons with Twente before his summer switch to Wolfsburg, becoming only their fourth coach since their 2003 foundation.

Key player: Tabea Wassmuth

Prolific in helping Hoffenheim to a European debut, Wassmuth joined Wolfsburg in the summer and her nine goals, including the third and fourth in the decider against Chelsea, made her group stage top scorer. She also struck in the first half at Arsenal to keep ahead of Alexia Putellas in that race.

Did you know?

Wolfsburg have reached seven semi-finals in their ten European campaigns since their 2012/13 debut.

Lyon vs Paris Saint-Germain

Lyon (FRA) 

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2020/21): 1
How they qualified: French league runners-up; W4-2agg vs Levante
Group stage: Group D winners (W5 D0 L1 F19 A2)
Quarter-finals: W4-3agg vs Juventus (L1-2a, W3-1h)
Top scorers (group stage onward): Catarina Macario 5
Last season: Quarter-finals
Domestic honours: 14 x league champions, 9 x cup winners
Previous European best: Winners (2010/11, 2011/12, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20 – record)
Semi-final record: W9 L2

Campaign a nutshell

Came through a potentially tricky qualifying tie with Levante and, despite losing at Bayern, always looked on course for Group D top spot as they vied to bounce back from losing their champion status last season. Ada Hegerberg returned from long-term injury and was quickly back among the goals, including a vital strike to wipe out OL's first-leg deficit in the return against Juventus, a reminder of the French club's enduring strength.

Coach: Sonia Bompastor

A Lyon great as a player, she coached at the academy from 2013 until last April, when she took over the first team near the end of a rare trophyless season.

Key player: Ada Hegerberg

Out for more than 20 months, Hegerberg was eased back in following her October return but by December was back to her old prolific form, even breaking more records in this competition. The Lyon team evolved during her absence, but the striker's presence now has them looking more like their old selves.

Did you know?

Lyon hold the competition records for title wins, final appearances, semi-final appearances (in fact, they have won their last nine), games played, goals scored and longest unbeaten run. This season, OL's Melvine Malard also scored the historic first-ever group stage goal.

Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2020/21): 4
How they qualified: French champions
Group stage: Group B winners (W6 D0 L0 F25 A0)
Quarter-finals: W4-3agg vs Bayern München (W2-1a, D2-2h aet)
Top scorer (group stage onward): Jordyn Huitema 6
Last season: Semi-finals
Domestic honours: 1 x league champions, 2 x cup winners
Previous European best: Runners-up (2014/15, 2016/17)
Semi-final record: W2 L3

Campaign a nutshell

The first team confirmed as group winners following their home and away defeats of Real Madrid on Matchdays 3 and 4, Paris displayed the form that helped them knock Lyon out of Europe last term and depose them in the French league. Having ended the group stage as both top scorers and the only team not to concede, they were then pushed all the way by Bayern in the quarter-finals and needed Ramona Bachmann's extra-time clincher to settle a Parc des Princes classic.

Coach: Didier Ollé-Nicolle

The former defender brought more than 30 years' worth of coaching experience in the men's game when he took the helm last July following his departure from Le Mans.

Key player: Marie-Antoinette Katoto

At 23, she is already her club's all-time leading scorer and has continued to pounce at a prolific rate this term, not least with her quarter-final double at Bayern.

Did you know?

The Paris squad contains three Olympic gold medallists: Huitema, Ashley Lawrence (Canada, 2021) and Sara Däbritz (Germany, 2016).

Cup winners refers only to main FA national cup in each country. Semi-final record counts overall ties rather than individual legs.