English trio stutter as Barcelona and Lyon fire warning shots in Women's Champions League openers
The Women's Champions League returned this week, and with it a host of unanswered questions for the ambitious English trio involved. Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City all have designs on winning the competition, and on the face of it each got their campaigns off to solid starts — Arsenal and Chelsea took three points from narrow home wins, while City recovered from 2-0 down for a creditable draw at heavyweights Bayern Munich.
But scratch deeper and this was an unconvincing week, particularly given that last season's finalists Barcelona and Lyon both opened with commanding victories.
Champions show their spirit
Last season, Manchester City exploited their absence from European competition to romp to the Women's Super League title. Back in the elite tier, their squad faced an immediate test when 2025-26 semi-finalists Bayern Munich raced into a two-goal lead. But Andree Jeglertz's team gave an immediate indication they belong at this level by recovering to draw 2-2, with summer signings Beth Mead and Carlotta Wamser scoring their first goals for the club. That was crucial given that usual goalscorer Khadija Shaw surprisingly missed a penalty. When she finds her shooting boots, City should be just fine in this competition.
Arsenal continue to misfire
With only two goals and five points from three matches, it has been an inauspicious start to the season for Arsenal, who have been bullish in targeting trophies. Up against Danish minnows HB Koge, the Gunners were dominant with the ball — an expected-goals tally of 1.93 — but mustered only two shots on target against a side they were expected to beat comfortably.
Boss Renee Slegers made a raft of changes, including resting Alessia Russo, and the eight forwards she ultimately featured struggled to breach the resolute visitors' backline, requiring a 95th-minute penalty to steal the points. Dismissing lower-ranked teams at the start of the competition has long been an Achilles' heel for Arsenal, and while they did win, tougher tests await and Slegers needs to find a solution.
Chelsea show flickers but fragility
A brilliant goal from Wieke Kaptein handed Chelsea victory on their opening night in a promising attacking performance. Summer signing Melvine Malard was bright in her pre-planned 45-minute appearance, while Alyssa Thompson's electric display showcased what she could offer in her second season at Stamford Bridge. With Ellie Carpenter playing behind Thompson, Chelsea's right side could be a potent weapon as they strive to return to the summit of English football — and, in reality, they ought to have added a couple more goals against Austria Vienna.
However, there were concerns for Sonia Bompastor. Shorn of injured captain Erin Cuthbert and with Keira Walsh substituted early, Chelsea ceded control in midfield to the Champions League debutants. Vienna came close on a number of occasions to taking a deserved point, hitting the post and having more shots than their esteemed opponents. Although Chelsea have conceded only one goal in four matches this season, the fragility on display could cost them against more clinical opponents.
Barcelona and Lyon remain the teams to beat
As English clubs stuttered through their first games, last season's finalists Barcelona and Lyon made statements of their own. Lyon won 8-0 away at Servette in Switzerland, with Marie-Antoinette Katoto scoring a hat-trick as the French giants racked up 31 shots and hit the woodwork. They host Chelsea next week.
Holders Barcelona actually went behind at home to Paris FC but swiftly turned the game around, scoring four before half-time and ultimately running out 5-2 winners — ominous signs from the Champions League favourites.