Women's Champions League Matchday 1 Wednesday preview: Wolfsburg-PSG, Twente-Chelsea, Madrid-Roma

The new-look league phase of the UEFA Women's Champions League continues with the remaining five Matchday 1 games on Wednesday.

The expanded 18 teams will compete over six matchdays, with the top four teams progressing directly to the quarter-finals and the sides finishing between fifth and 12th advancing to February's knockout round play-offs, where they will compete to complete the last-eight line-up.

We preview the action, including a face-off between holders Arsenal and record eight-time champions OL Lyonnes.

All times CET

Wednesday's games

Twente vs Chelsea (18:45)

A year ago Twente earned a group stage debut in some style and picked up two wins against Celtic, but those were their only points as they lost 3-1 at home and 6-1 away to Chelsea and were defeated twice by Real Madrid. The Dutch champions breezed through qualifying again this time as part of an impressive start for new coach Corina Dekker, whose squad is bolstered this season by Netherlands midfielder Jill Roord, back at Twente after an eight-year odyssey that took her to Bayern, Arsenal, Wolfsburg and Manchester City.

Chelsea completed an unbeaten domestic treble in their first season under Sonia Bompastor, but for the third year running lost in the Women's Champions League semi-finals to Barcelona. Their ambition to end their wait for European silverware is clear, with summer arrivals including Ellie Carpenter and Alyssa Thompson while Sam Kerr has returned after more than a year out and their Women's EURO winners Hannah Hampton, Keira Walsh and Aggie Beever-Jones have contributed to a strong season start.

Real Madrid vs Roma (18:45)

Both of these teams made their European breakthroughs under the recent group stage format, with Madrid making the quarter-finals on debut in 2021/22 and Roma emulating them a year later. Madrid returned to the knockout phase last season before becoming one of Arsenal's several second-leg comeback victims, and this term they comfortably saw off four-time winners Eintracht Frankfurt to qualify for a fifth year in a row. They have brought back ex-youth coach Pau Quesada to take charge following Alberto Toril's departure, and added goalkeeper Merle Frohms, experienced midfielder Sara Däbritz and defender Sara Holmgaard over the summer.

Roma made a superb start to the group stage last season only to be overhauled by Wolfsburg, and were then dethroned as Serie A champions by Juventus. But they showed promise in Champions League qualifying under new coach Luca Rossettini, including winning 2-0 away against Sporting CP to overturn a dramatic 2-1 first-leg loss. While Valentina Giacinti and goalkeeper Camelia Ceasar are among their summer departures, Roma's arrivals include Italy midfielder Valentina Bergamaschi, experienced Danish defender Katrine Veje and Australian international Winonah Heatley.

Manchester United vs Vålerenga (21:00)

Manchester United's European debut two years ago was ended in qualifying by Paris Saint-Germain, but this time they saw off PSV Eindhoven, Hammarby and Brann. Fridolina Rolfö arrived from Barcelona in the summer and Jess Park has joined after reaching the quarter-finals with Manchester City last season, and they held Chelsea 1-1 on Saturday with Anna Sandberg scoring a screamer. Elisabeth Terland scored hat-tricks against both PSV and her former club Brann to finish as seven-goal qualifying top scorer.

Terland will now hope to haunt more Norwegian compatriots in Vålerenga, who earned a group stage debut last season and recorded a dramatic draw against Bayern. The Oslo side are back after defeating HJK Helsinki, Slavia Praha and Ferencváros in qualifying. Vålerenga are currently chasing Brann as they seek a third straight Norwegian title, and are set to face one of their former club favourites in Manchester in Celin Bizet.

St. Pölten vs Atlético de Madrid (21:00)

St. Pölten, Austrian champions for the last ten completed seasons, began their European history with six straight exits in the old round of 32. But they are now regulars among the true elite, coming through qualifying for the fourth year in a row by winning home and away against former finalists Fortuna Hjørring.

Atleti looked set for another qualifying exit when they trailed Häcken deep in second-leg added time. But a penalty equaliser from Luany and Synne Jensen's extra-time winner gave Atleti a long-awaited group stage/league phase debut, having made the 2019/20 quarter-finals under the competition's previous format.

Wolfsburg vs Paris Saint-Germain (21:00)

This is the first time these two giants of the competition have met at this early stage. PSG knocked Wolfsburg out in the 2014/15 semis but the two-time champions turned the tables in the 2022/23 last eight. In last season's group stage, Wolfsburg recovered from losing their first two games to progress before losing to Barcelona in the quarter-finals. After a first trophyless season since 2011/12, much has changed in the squad with goalkeeper Stina Johannes, Janou Levels, Cora Zicai and Thea Bjelde among the arrivals, though Lineth Beerensteyn, Alex Popp and Svenja Huth remain.

PSG were knocked out in qualifying by Juventus last season, having previously reached at least the quarter-finals in their previous nine European entries. Former assistant Paulo César is now head coach and although Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Grace Geyoro recently ended long spells at the club, arrivals including Olga Carmona and Nigeria striker Rasheedat Ajibade show they are ready to make another bid for a first Champions League title.