Meet the UEFA Women's Champions League semi-finalists

The UEFA Women's Champions League semi-finalists have four titles and ten final appearances between them, and for the first time two of the last four are from the same city.

We introduce the contenders.

Chelsea vs Barcelona

• Previous meeting: 2020/21 final, Chelsea 0-4 Barcelona (Gothenburg)

Chelsea (ENG)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2021/22): 6
How they qualified: English champions
Group stage: Group A winners (W5 D1 L0 F19 A1)
Quarter-finals: W2-2agg, 4-3pens vs Lyon (W1-0 a, 1-2aet h)
Top scorer: Sam Kerr (5)
Last season: Group stage
Domestic honours: 5 x league champions, 4 x cup winners
Previous European best: Runners-up (2020/21)
Semi-final record: W1 L2

Previous semi-finals
2020/21: W5-3agg vs Bayern (L1-2 a, W4-1 h)
2018/19: L2-3agg vs Lyon (L1-2 a, D1-1 h)
2017/18: L1-5agg vs Wolfsburg (W1-3 h, L0-2 a)

Campaign in a nutshell

There was to be no repeat of the shock 2021/22 group exit as Chelsea began with a 1-0 win at Paris and ended by beating the same team 3-0 at Stamford Bridge. In between, Chelsea put 12 goals past Vllaznia over the two games and took four points off Real Madrid to top Group A. Another 1-0 victory in France, this time at Lyon, did not hint at the Stamford Bridge drama to come as the holders forced extra time and seemed to have clinched a semi-final berth, only for Maren Mjelde to convert a penalty with the final kick and Ann-Katrin Berger to save twice in the shoot-out.

Coach: Emma Hayes

Her Arsenal playing career was cut short aged 17 due to injury but, after learning the coaching ropes with the FA, Hayes joined the Gunners' set-up and was assistant to Vic Akers when they won the 2006/07 UEFA Women's Cup. In 2008, she took over at Chicago Red Stars and later worked for Western New York Flash as technical director prior to her 2012 appointment by Chelsea. Five league titles and eight other trophies, plus a run to the 2021 Women's Champions League final and many personal honours have followed.

Did you know?

Chelsea are the first team, other than Paris, to have knocked Lyon out of Europe since Turbine Potsdam in the 2013/14 round of 16 (Mjelde was also on the winning side that day too).

Barcelona (ESP)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2021/22): 2
How they qualified: Spanish champions
Group stage: Group D winners (W5 D0 L1 F29 A6)
Quarter-finals: W6-1agg vs Roma (W1-0 a, W5-1 h)
Top scorers: Aitana Bonmatí, Asisat Oshoala (5)
Last season: Runners-up
Domestic honours: 7 x league champions, 9 x cup winners
Previous European best: Winners x 1 (2020/21)
Semi-final record: W3 L2

Previous semi-finals
2021/22: W5-3agg vs Wolfsburg (W5-1 h, L0-2 a)
2020/21: W3-2agg vs Paris Saint-Germain (D1-1 a, W2-1 h)
2019/20: L0-1 vs Wolfsburg (n, San Sebastián)
2018/19: W2-0agg vs Bayern (W1-0 a, W1-0 h)
2016/17: L1-5agg vs Paris Saint-Germain (L1-3 h, L0-2 a)

Campaign in a nutshell

There was little hangover from the 2022 final loss to Lyon as Barcelona began the group stage by beating Benfica 9-0, Rosengård 4-1 and Bayern 3-0. Although they then succumbed 3-1 at Bayern, Barça put six past both Benfica and Rosengård to tally up 29 group stage goals. That left them confident for the knockout phase, and a hard-earned 1-0 win at Roma in the quarter-finals was followed by a 5-1 home stroll in front of more than 50,000 fans at the Camp Nou.

Coach: Jonatan Giráldez

The former assistant to Lluís Cortés replaced the Women's Champions League-winning coach in the summer of 2021 and has kept Barcelona's stellar run going almost without missing a step (the exception being the loss to Lyon in last year's final).

Did you know?

Barcelona were the first Spanish finalists in 2019 and first Spanish winners two years later (against Chelsea).

Wolfsburg vs Arsenal

• Previous meetings: 2021/22 quarter-finals – Wolfsburg won 3-1 on aggregate (D1-1 a, W2-0 h); 2012/13 semi-finals – Wolfsburg won 4-1 on aggregate (W2-0 a, W2-1 h)

Wolfsburg (GER)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2021/22): 3
How they qualified: German champions
Group stage: Group B winners (W4 D2 L0 F19 A5)
Quarter-finals: W2-1 agg vs Paris Saint-Germain (W1-0 a, D1-1 h)
Top scorer: Ewa Pajor (7)
Last season: Semi-finals
Domestic honours: 7 x league champions, 9 x cup winners
Previous European best: Winners x 2 (2012/13, 2013/14)
Semi-final record: W5 L2

Previous semi-finals
2021/22: L3-5agg vs Barcelona (L1-5 a, W2-0 h)
2019/20: W1-0 vs Barcelona (n, San Sebastián)
2017/18: W5-1agg vs Chelsea (W3-1 a, W2-0 h)
2015/16: W4-1agg vs Frankfurt (W4-0 h, L0-1 a)
2014/15: L2-3agg vs Paris Saint-Germain (L0-2 h, W2-1 a)
2013/14: W4-2 agg vs Turbine Potsdam (D0-0 a, W4-2 h)
2012/13: W4-1agg vs Arsenal (W2-0 a, W2-1 h)

Campaign in a nutshell

Excused qualifying as German champions, Wolfsburg avoided the scares of the 2021/22 group stage, comfortably topping Group B. St. Pölten were beaten home and away, and Wolfsburg also took four points off both Roma and Slavia Praha, with Pajor's round-leading seven goals keeping things moving. The 1-0 quarter-final first-leg win at the Parc des Princes then proved invaluable, with a goal from the evergreen Alex Popp at home ultimately putting the tie beyond Paris.

Coach: Tommy Stroot

Born just on the German side of the border with the Netherlands, Stroot won two Dutch titles in five seasons with Twente before his 2021 switch to Wolfsburg, becoming only the fourth coach since their 2003 foundation. He claimed the German double in his first season.

Did you know?

Wolfsburg won this competition twice in their first two attempts; since then, they have lost three finals, all to Lyon (2016, 2018 and 2020).

Arsenal (ENG)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2021/22): 10
How they qualified: English runners-up; W3-2agg vs Ajax
Group stage: Group C winners (W4 D1 L1 F19 A5)
Quarter-finals: W2-1agg vs Bayern (L0-1 a, W2-0 h)
Top scorer (group stage onward): Frida Maanum (5)
Last season: Quarter-finals
Domestic honours: 15 x league champions, 14 x cup winners
Previous European best: Winners x 1 (2006/07)
Semi-final record: W1 L5

Previous semi-finals
2012/13: L1-4agg vs Wolfsburg (L0-2 h, L1-2 a)
2011/12: L1-4agg vs Frankfurt (L1-2 h, L0-2 a)
2010/11: L2-5agg vs Lyon (L0-2 a, L2-3 h)
2006/07: W5-2agg vs Brøndby (D2-2 a, W3-0 h)
2004/05: L1-2 agg vs Djurgården (D1-1 a, L0-1 h)
2002/03: L2-8agg vs Fortuna Hjørring (L1-3 a, L1-5 h)

Campaign in a nutshell

Had to come from behind to draw their round 2 first leg with Ajax, but Vivianne Miedema struck in the Netherlands to take Arsenal through – against a team they later snapped up Victoria Pelova from in January. The group stage began with the sensational 5-1 victory at Lyon and the Gunners then beat Zürich and took four points off Juventus.

By then, Beth Mead's season had been ended by injury and at home to Lyon so was Miedema's; Arsenal lost 1-0 that day but cruised 9-1 at Zürich to top the section. Unfortunate to then lose 1-0 in their quarter-final opener at Bayern, they turned the tie around at home thanks to Stina Blackstenius and Maanum.

Coach: Jonas Eidevall

In his 20s when he became coach of Swedish men's lower-division Lund, Eidevall moved in 2012 to women's giants Rosengård, first as assistant. He then won three league titles during two spells in charge from 2013–2014 and 2018–2021, either side of an assistant's stint with the Helsingborg men's team. Joined Arsenal in 2021 and snared his first trophy this March with the League Cup.

Did you know?

Arsenal are one of only two teams to play more than 100 games in this competition, along with Lyon, and were one of the original entrants in 2001/02.

Domestic cup wins refer only to the main FA national cup in each country. A team's semi-final record counts overall ties rather than individual legs.