Women's Champions League: Chelsea face fight for glory among Europe's elite

Emma Hayes’ team have found themselves in the same half of the draw as the three teams who have contested the last three finals

Chelsea go up against previous finalists PSG on Thursday night (Getty)

Chelsea begin the mountainous task of becoming the first English club to reach the Women’s Champions League final in more than a decade this week with the first of two very difficult knock-out ties. Emma Hayes’ team have found themselves in the same half of the draw as the three teams who have contested the last three finals and will need to beat two of them to reach the Budapest denouement.

First up, at Kingsmeadow on Thursday, is Paris Saint-Germain, not as lavishly backed as their male counterparts but still well-funded. Unlike the men they have reached the final, but lost in 2015 and 2017. Should Chelsea beat them lying in wait in the semi-final are either Lyon, winners of five finals in eight years including the last three, or Wolfsburg, winners in 2013 and 2014, runners-up in 2016 and 2018, and conquerors of Chelsea the last three seasons.

While Hayes is typically bullish, calling it ‘a great draw’, either opponent would be daunting, but first Chelsea must see off PSG. They are coached by Olivier Echouafni, who was fired by France after a disappointing Euro 2017, and has Bernard Mendy, once of Bolton and Hull, as assistant. PSG are only two points behind Lyon at home and are backed by unusually raucous support for the women’s game.

While PSG do not have a Neymar equivalent, another Brazilian, Formiga, is a legend in the women’s game and still influencing matches at 41. January recruit Nadia Nadim, having played for Manchester City in the competition earlier this season, is ineligible.

While PSG have the greater pedigree Chelsea have been steadily developing European experience, reaching the semi-final last year, and will be confident. A slow start and a mid-season stutter have probably put paid to their hopes of retaining the WSL Super League but they have won four on the spin, scoring 14 without reply – including a 3-0 defeat of Arsenal en route to the FA Cup semi-final. Fran Kirby is back to fitness, scoring a hat-trick at Liverpool last weekend. The influential Ramona Bachmann and Maren Mjelde are also restored to the side.

The other three ties take place Wednesday and Hayes will be keeping a close interest on events in France. In the last round Lyon defeated Ajax 13-0 on aggregate while Wolfsburg scored 10 without reply against an Atletico Madrid side which had earlier put out England’s other qualifiers, Manchester City. In Ada Hegerberg Lyon have the first female winner of the Ballon d’Or but Wolfsburg’s Pernille Harder was arguably an even better performer in 2018. Since Hegerberg is currently estranged from the Norwegian team, and Harder’s Denmark did not qualify for the World Cup, this competition represents the pinnacle of the year for both players.

Not that they are the only stars on show. Though Izzy Christiansen is still recovering from the broken ankle suffered during the She Believes Cup earlier this month, England team-mate Lucy Bronze should be on show for a Lyon team which also includes Jess Fishlock, Wales’ most capped player, gifted German playmaker Dzenifer Marozsan and the bulk of the French team

In-form Polish striker Ewa Pajor, dominant Swedish centre-half Nilla Fischer and dangerous Norwegian winger Caroline Graham Hansen are among key Wolfsburg players, along with several German internationals. England back-up goalkeeper Mary Earps is set to be on the bench for the She-Wolves.

The lopsided last eight offers a marvellous opportunity to the other four teams, none of whom have previously reached a final. Slavia Prague, the only survivors from the qualifying round, kick off first against Bayern Munich, who are pushing Wolfsburg hard in the Bundesliga.

For Ada Hegerberg, the Champions League represents the pinnacle of her career (Getty)

Barcelona, fresh from defeating Atletico Madrid in front of more than 60,000 at the Wanda Metropolitano at the weekend, host Norwegian outsiders LSK Kvinner, who are yet to start their league season. England’s Toni Duggan, who scored off the bench against Atletico, will hope to start. Barcelona are the only club still in both men’s and women’s Champions League competitions.

While a Bayern-Barca semi-final seems likely the tougher half of the draw is difficult to call. Chelsea will hope they have one foot in it by the end of Thursday night.

Fixtures:

Wednesday: Slavia Prague v Bayern Munich (5.30pm), Barcelona v LSK Kvinner (6pm), Lyon v Wolfsburg (7.45pm)

Thursday: Chelsea v Paris St Germain (7.05pm).