Women's Champions League: Arsenal, Man City, Celtic Learn Round-Two Opponents

Women's Champions League Qualifying Round Two: Key Matchups and Insights

On Monday, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Celtic discovered their opponents for the Women’s Champions League qualifying round two. All three clubs are set to play their first legs away from home, marking a significant start to their campaigns in this prestigious tournament.

Arsenal Faces BK Hacken

The Gunners, led by manager Jonas Eidevall, are aiming to build on their impressive performances after victories over Rangers and Rosenborg in the previous round. They are set to clash with BK Hacken of Sweden, a team that reached the quarter-finals of the tournament last season. Historically, these teams have met before; back in the 2011/12 season, Arsenal emerged victorious with a thrilling 3-2 win.

Manchester City Takes on Paris FC

After finishing second in the Women’s Super League (WSL) last season, Manchester City enters the second round of the Champions League. Their opponents will be Paris FC, who demonstrated their capability by defeating Real Madrid both home and away during last year's group stages. However, they finished third in a challenging group that featured Chelsea and BK Hacken, making this matchup an intriguing one.

Celtic's Draw Against Vorskla Poltava

Celtic represents the only British side in the Champions Path draw after clinching the title in the Scottish Women’s Premier League for the 2023/24 season. They will face Ukrainian champions Vorskla Poltava in their first tie of this qualifying round, presenting a unique challenge as they seek to progress further.

Match Dates and Group Stage Prospects

The first legs of this round will occur on September 18 and 19, with the return legs scheduled on September 25 and 26. Teams advancing from these fixtures will qualify for the group stages alongside notable clubs like Barcelona, Lyon, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea.

Important Dates for the Group Stage

• Matchday 1: October 8/9
• Matchday 2: October 16/17
• Matchday 3: November 12/13
• Matchday 4: November 20/21
• Matchday 5: December 11/12
• Matchday 6: December 17/18

Full Round 2 Draw

The full qualifying fixtures are as follows:

Champions Path

• SKN St Polten (Austria) vs ZNK Mura (Slovenia)
• Benfica (Portugal) vs Hammarby IF (Sweden)
• ZNK Osijek (Croatia) vs FC Twente (Netherlands)
• Galatasaray (Turkey) vs Slavia Prague (Czech Republic)
• Roma (Italy) vs Servette (Switzerland)
• Anderlecht (Belgium) vs Valerenga (Norway)
• FC Vorskla Poltava (Ukraine) vs Celtic (Scotland)

League Path

• Sporting CP (Portugal) vs Real Madrid (Spain)
• Juventus (Italy) vs Paris Saint-Germain (France)
• Paris FC (France) vs Manchester City (England)
• Fiorentina (Italy) vs Wolfsburg (Germany)

This year's qualifying round promises exciting matchups as these teams vie for a spot in the prestigious group stages of the Women’s Champions League.