Women's Champions League games of the group stage: Which is your favourite?

The 2024/25 UEFA Women's Champions League group stage was the last under the present format, adding to the drama produced after the competition's relaunch in 2021/22.

UEFA.com picks out six games that had us thrilled. Vote for your favourite.

Chelsea 3-2 Real Madrid

08/10/2023, Group B Matchday 1

For the third year running, Chelsea and Madrid met in the group stage and while the Blues kept up their perfect home record against the Spanish side, it ended up tight. It did not necessarily look that way early on as Sjoeke Nüsken struck almost immediately with a deflected shot and Guro Reiten added a penalty before the half-hour to put Chelsea 2-0 up in their first European game under Sonia Bompastor.

However, Alba Redondo pulled one back past Zecira Musovic (who replaced Hannah Hampton minutes before kick-off), and although early in the second half Mayra Ramírez looped in a header from Lauren James' cross to make it 3-1, there were more twists to come.

Just past the hour Madrid brought on Linda Caicedo, whose minutes were being managed after playing two summer tournaments for Colombia. Her determined running and trickery so nearly turned the game as she pulled one back with six minutes left and was prominent in a grandstand finish that, if not producing an equaliser, gave notice that Madrid had every chance of avoiding a third straight group exit; indeed they progressed alongside Chelsea with two games to spare.

Must-see moment: The little chop from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd in the run down the right that gave her room to cross for the opener.

Bayern München 5-2 Arsenal

09/10/2024, Group C Matchday 1

Not all London clubs had such a happy time on Matchday 1. Arsenal, a year after a surprise qualifying exit, had seen off Rangers, Rosenborg and Häcken to ensure a group stage return, and having been handed an away game against top seeds on Matchday 1, were perhaps dreaming of a repeat of the stunning 5-1 opening success at Lyon in 2022/23. Instead Bayern were the team celebrating five goals.

Bayern had exited in the group stage last season and maybe feared the worst when Mariona Caldentey gave Arsenal the lead. But Glódís Viggósdóttir headed Bayern level before half-time and Sydney Lohmann put them 2-1 up. Laia Codina equalised but then Pernille Harder came to the fore with a stunning 14-minute hat-trick. "The last few years have been tough with injuries, so now I'm just happy to be back playing in the Champions League," she told UEFA.com.

Must-see moment: Harder's look of glee after the tremendous header that made it 3-2.

Manchester City 2-0 Barcelona

09/10/2024, Group D Matchday 1

Man City were finally making their group debut after twice falling in qualifying to Real Madrid – not their first exits to teams from Spain – and were taking on a Barcelona side starting as favourites to win a third straight title. However, come full time, City had become the first club to beat Barcelona by more than one goal since Bayern in December 2022.

City took the game to the visitors from the start, and though Ewa Pajor had a shot cleared off the line by Laia Aleixandri, the home pressure told when Naomi Layzell slid in her first senior goal on 36 minutes. Barcelona pushed for an equaliser, Aleixandri producing further goal-line heroics, but victory was sealed when Layzell sent Khadija Shaw clear and the striker calmly rounded Cata Coll and rolled in the clincher. Barcelona would pip an injury-hit City to first place with a 3-0 Matchday 6 victory yet this night will live long in the memory for the Manchester club after several years of European frustration.

Must-see moment: The subtlety of Shaw's clinching finish.

Vålerenga 1-1 Bayern München

21/11/2024, Group C Matchday 4

Vålerenga had a memorable 2024, surging to a Norwegian double and getting through Champions League qualifying for the first time, but they were finding the group stage tough – without a point after three games. Bayern, meanwhile, had a maximum nine, with Arsenal in pursuit after hitting form under interim head coach Renée Slegers.

In Oslo against Bayern, Vålerenga were largely on the back foot against the group leaders but midway through the second half almost took a shock lead when Olaug Tvedten's shot hit both posts and somehow stayed out. Jovana Damnjanović then put Bayern ahead, yet with two minutes left forward-turned-defender Elise Thorsnes showed she had lost none of her eye for goal as she flicked the ball in to spark joy among the noisy Vålerenga faithful.

Arsenal's late winner against Juventus later meant Vålerenga were mathematically out but their pride at getting a first-ever group point was clear and the celebrations continued later that week when they beat Rosenborg to complete a second domestic double. Meanwhile, the two dropped points in what proved the only draw of the entire group stage proved costly for Bayern in the race for first place with Arsenal.

Must-see moment: Thorsnes twisting to loop her header in.

Wolfsburg 6-1 Roma

11/12/2024, Group A Matchday 5

After two games in Group A, Wolfsburg found themselves a maximum six points adrift of the leading pair, having lost 1-0 at Roma and 2-0 at home to Lyon. By kick-off on Matchday 5, the two-time champions had caught the Serie A side, but Wolfsburg still needed a two-goal margin of victory against Roma to clinch qualification and not leave it to the final games, when the German club would visit Lyon and their rivals for second place were to host Galatasaray.

On Matchday 6 in 2021/22, Wolfsburg had needed a two-goal win against Chelsea and ended up striking twice early in a 4-0 win. Three years on, Alex Popp scored on six minutes but it was still 1-0 at half-time and before the hour Valentina Giacinti equalised.

However, Lineth Beerensteyn made it 2-1 and within three minutes Sveindís Jónsdóttir had earned Wolfsburg the two-goal cushion they required. And incredibly, in the last five minutes, the Iceland winger was to add three more, to equal the record goal tally by a player in a single group game and send Wolfsburg to the quarter-finals.

Must-see moment: Jónsdóttir holding her head in disbelief after her fourth goal.

Arsenal 3-2 Bayern München

18/12/2024, Matchday 6

Following those two dropped points in Norway, Bayern led Arsenal by one rather than three ahead of the group decider, meaning any win would suffice for the Gunners to overtake their visitors – rather than having to at least match the German side's 5-2 margin of victory from Matchday 1. Arsenal promptly led inside seven minutes when Viggósdóttir, a Matchday 1 scorer at the other end, headed into her own net.

There was more drama to come. Bayern's Magdalena Eriksson – who had never before scored more than once in a senior club game – equalised before half-time, and on 58 minutes she struck again. Within seconds, though, Alessia Russo's cushioned volley restored parity to set up a grandstand finish in driving rain.

Bayern were still closing in on winning their group for the first time until, with four minutes left, a Tuva Hansen handball meant a penalty to be taken by Caldentey, who had put Arsenal in front against Bayern on Matchday 1 before that game turned. Caldentey duly converted to give Arsenal victory and first place.

Must-see moment: The celebrations of the late winner at Meadow Park, evoking the many nights of European drama at the stadium in Arsenal's earlier days in UEFA competition.