Women's Champions League knockout phase play-off first legs, Wednesday round-up: Arsenal and Real Madrid win away

UEFA Women's Champions League holders Arsenal and Real Madrid will both take leads into their knockout phase play-off deciders at home next week after triumphing on their travels as the new round began on Wednesday.

Arsenal secured a 4-0 victory at OH Leuven in Belgium, while Madrid recovered from conceding an early goal in a 3-2 triumph at Paris FC. The first legs continue on Thursday, when Wolfsburg play Juventus and Atlético de Madrid host Manchester United. The return legs will all take place next week as these eight teams compete to join the league phase top-four sides Barcelona, OL Lyonnes, Chelsea and Bayern München in the quarter-finals.

Click on any scoreline to look back at each game as it happened.

OH Leuven 0-4 Arsenal

Arsenal moved a step closer to a quarter-final derby with Chelsea thanks in no small part to Frida Maanum's first two goals in the competition this term. Having taken the lead midway through the first half when Maanum glanced in Caitlin Foord's cross, the holders struck again eight minutes before the break as Chloe Kelly's delivery was met first time by Olivia Smith, who also scored in Arsenal's 3-0 victory at European debutants OHL on Matchday 6 of the league phase.

Foord then fed Maanum to slot in shortly after the restart. And after Alixe Bosteels tested visiting goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, substitute Alessia Russo notched her fifth goal of the campaign from close range to complete the scoring, on a night when Kim Little came on for her 400th Arsenal appearance.

Player of the Match: Frida Maanum (Arsenal)

Key stat: Arsenal ended a run of seven consecutive Women's Champions League first legs without a win (including qualifying) since a 3-0 home victory against Slavia Praha in round 2 of the 2021/22 edition.

Paris FC 2-3 Real Madrid

Madrid boosted their chances of a last-eight tie with Barcelona as two goals late in the first half proved key to a comeback win. Kaja Korošec's ferocious volley had given Paris an early lead but, as the interval approached, Caroline Weir prodded in the rebound after Sara Däbritz's long-range shot ricocheted off a post and goalkeeper Mylène Chavas. It was not the first time Weir had terrorised Paris, the Scotland international having scored a 98th-minute equaliser in the sides' 1-1 league phase draw in November,

The visitors went ahead on the stroke of half-time through Athenea del Castillo's finish, set up by Linda Caicedo's dazzling run. Caicedo then slotted in seven minutes from time, with Maeline Mendy's late deflected strike giving Paris renewed hope for the return.

Player of the Match: Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid)

Key stat: Madrid's sixth successive first-leg victory in a two-legged European tie was also their first win in this competition after falling behind since a 3-2 triumph at Twente on 20 November 2024.

Thursday's first legs:

Wolfsburg vs Juventus (18:45)
Atlético de Madrid vs Manchester United (21:00)

Second legs:

Wednesday 18 February

Real Madrid vs Paris FC (18:45)
Arsenal vs OH Leuven (21:00)

Thursday 19 February

Juventus vs Wolfsburg (18:45)
Manchester United vs Atlético de Madrid (21:00)

All times CET