Women's Champions League Matchday 6 preview: Wolfsburg-Chelsea, Juventus-Man Utd, OL-Atleti
Friday, December 12, 2025
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All nine games will kick off at 21:00 CET on Wednesday with much to settle on the final day of action in the new league phase.
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The new-look league phase of the UEFA Women's Champions League concludes on Wednesday with all nine matches kicking off simultaneously at 21:00 CET.
At the close of play, the top four teams will qualify directly for the quarter-finals while the sides finishing between fifth and 12th go into the new knockout play-offs. Ten clubs have already ensured at least a play-off spot but three others will vie for the two remaining slots, while none of the automatic quarter-final berths have yet been settled, meaning there is plenty at stake as we preview the action.
State of play
Confirmed in quarter-finals or knockout phase play-offs
Barcelona, OL Lyonnes, Chelsea, Juventus, Real Madrid, Bayern München, Wolfsburg, Arsenal, Manchester United, Paris FC
Can still reach knockout phase play-offs
Atlético de Madrid, OH Leuven, Vålerenga
Elimination confirmed
Twente, Benfica, Paris Saint-Germain, Roma, St. Pölten
Teams listed in order of current standings.
Holders Arsenal are through, and still have hopes of a top-four finish despite losing two of the first three games of their title defence by coming into form with two consecutive wins. The strong performance of European debutants OH Leuven has been one of the stories of the league phase and they enter Matchday 6 in contention for a knockout phase play-off spot, currently occupying 12th place and two points ahead of Vålerenga in 13th.
Key stat: OHL could become only the second Belgian team to reach the competition's knockout phase/get beyond the former round of 16 since Rapide Wezemaal (now Sint-Truidense) in 2007/08.
A slip from OH Leuven could open up a knockout phase spot for Vålerenga, though they have the tough task of winning away at Bayern, who are only outside the top four on goal difference having recovered from their opening 7-1 loss at Barcelona with three wins and a draw. Vålerenga have shown useful away form this season, winning 1-0 at Roma on Matchday 3 after only losing by a single goal at Manchester United in their opener.
Key stat: Bayern won 3-0 at home to Vålerenga on Matchday 3 last season with goals from Pernille Harder, Giulia Gwinn and Sarah Zadrazil.
Both teams are in contention for an automatic quarter-final spot, with Wolfsburg a point off the leading quartet in seventh and Chelsea third and unbeaten with the joint most goals scored (18) and fewest conceded (2). These sides meet for the 11th time in this competition and history favours Wolfsburg, who have won six and lost two of the past ten meetings.
Key stat: Chelsea have lost three and drawn one on their four trips to face Wolfsburg in Germany; the Blues' only two wins in the ten past encounters came in the 2020/21 quarter-finals, when they prevailed in both games of a tie in which both legs were played in Budapest due to COVID restrictions.
Two other sides in the thick of the top-four race meet in Turin, Juve sitting fourth on ten points and Manchester United a point behind in ninth. The hosts are fresh from winning 5-0 away at St. Pölten on Matchday 5 while United, debutants at this stage, will look to bounce back from their 3-0 home loss to OL Lyonnes.
Key stat: Juventus have never beaten English opposition, losing four and drawing two of their six meetings with Arsenal and Chelsea.
OL Lyonnes vs Atlético de Madrid
Eight-time champions OL are joint on points with table-leaders Barcelona following victory in Manchester. Atleti equalised late to draw with Bayern last Wednesday, that point leaving them three points clear of 13rd-placed Vålerenga and in contention for a knockout phase play-off spot.
Key stat: OL's Melchie Dumornay and Atleti's Fiamma scored their fourth league phase goals on Matchday 5, putting them among the seven current joint joint-top scorers.
Barcelona have led the table after all five matchdays and, even with the likes of Aitana Bonmatí and Patri Guijarro sidelined, have made it seem like their loss to Arsenal in last season's final was a mere blip in their domination of this competition in the 2020s. Paris' late win at Vålerenga last Wednesday confirmed their progress ahead of this tough Matchday 6 fixture.
Key stat: Paris have only conceded one goal over their last three league phase games.
Madrid have consistently impressed throughout the league phase, only sitting outside the top four on goals scored and last Tuesday defeating Wolfsburg 2-0 despite having both Maëlle Lakrar and Iris Santiago sent off. Twente's narrow 1-0 loss at Arsenal ended the Dutch club's hopes of progression despite their campaign starting promisingly with a 1-1 draw against Chelsea.
Key stat: These clubs met in last season's group stage, Madrid winning 3-2 away and 7-0 at home.
Benfica vs Paris Saint-Germain
Despite Benfica and PSG being among the last eight two seasons ago, both had elimination confirmed with a game to go after each picking up just a single point across the first five matchdays. PSG had previously reached at least the quarter-finals nine times in ten years before last season's qualifying elimination by Juventus.
Key stat: Despite their league position, PSG lie joint-fifth in terms of attempts on goal and equal-fourth for corners won.
Heavy defeats on Matchday 5 left both these clubs eliminated and occupying the bottom two positions in the table. This fixture provides a chance for one of these youthful squads to go out on a high, St. Pölten goalkeeper Carina Schlüter reflecting after their defeat to Juventus: "To be competing with the big teams is something very special anyway."
Key stat: In the 2022/23 group stage, Roma defeated St. Pölten 5-0 at home (booking a quarter-final place on debut) and 4-3 away, a game they trailed 2-0 with less than half an hour remaining.
