Three English groups have reached the quarter-finals of the Girls’s Champions League this season – however has it been as simple because it seems?
Manchester United, competing in the principle draw for the primary time, wrapped up a 5-0 combination victory over Atletico Madrid on Thursday.
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That secured their spot within the final eight by way of the two-legged play-off, whereas Arsenal went by means of the identical path, beating OH Leuven 7-1 on combination.
Chelsea had already booked their place within the quarter-finals by ending within the prime 4 of the league part – the brand new format launched this season.
However have the league part modifications made it simpler, or tougher, to navigate? Or have the English groups simply proven their superiority?
Was the draw type to English golf equipment?
Not precisely.
Reigning champions Arsenal needed to kick off their marketing campaign towards file eight-time winners Lyon, who they beat within the semi-finals final season.
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This time they misplaced they usually have been additionally overwhelmed by Bayern Munich within the league part, that means they’d work to do to qualify.
It was a nervy few months however victories towards Actual Madrid and FC Twente helped Arsenal end fifth within the desk. They have been handed a beneficial tie of their knockout play-offs, avoiding extra established European groups like Wolfsburg and Juventus to tackle competitors debutants OH Leuven, who they’d already overwhelmed 3-0 within the league part.
They bettered that scoreline within the first leg, profitable 4-0, however Arsenal boss Renee Slegers insisted it was not easy, saying her aspect simply discovered kind when it mattered.
“Forward of the primary sport, we have been very conscious that Leuven had made it troublesome for groups in Europe,” stated Slegers after their 3-1 victory within the second leg.
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“We really performed rather well in Leuven and have been scientific. Once we go into the second sport, we all know we’re already 4-0 up, so it turns into a distinct sport.”
United needed to face Atletico Madrid, who’ve reached the principle draw six instances prior to now decade, having additionally performed them within the league part.
The Spanish aspect are sixth in Liga F and 25 factors adrift of leaders Barcelona.
The competitors has been removed from simple for United although, having to play three qualifying rounds earlier than the league part – coming from behind to beat Brann – after which assembly two-time winners Wolfsburg, Italian giants Juventus and record-holders Lyon of their group.
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“For certain, it hasn’t felt simple. I’ve actually loved the construction of the Champions League to get right here,” stated United boss Marc Skinner. “It is uncovered us to totally different types of play. The experiences have helped us develop shortly.
“You look again to once we performed Lyon, the shut Valerenga sport and Juventus within the final sport of the league part – the expansion is unbelievable from our staff.”
Even Chelsea, who have been prime seeds and certified immediately for the quarter-finals, needed to play fellow last-eight qualifiers Barcelona and Wolfsburg within the league part.
They’ve Arsenal subsequent, and will nonetheless face Lyon and Barcelona on path to the ultimate.
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Did the brand new format profit them?
Within the new format, 18 groups face six opponents, drawn dwelling or away, and the highest 4 within the league part go straight into the quarter-finals, the underside six are eradicated and the remaining eight be part of a seeded play-off for the knockout stage.
Beforehand, teams of 4 would play one another dwelling and away with the highest two going by means of to the knockout levels.
That meant the established groups usually had a shootout between themselves for prime spot within the group – giving them a extra beneficial tie within the subsequent spherical – whereas lower-ranked sides struggled to progress.
It felt like there was extra jeopardy this time round however it’s a acquainted group of heavyweights within the quarter-finals, with debutants United the exception.
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Tim Stillman, a lifelong Arsenal fan and author for Arseblog information, instructed BBC Sport it has felt like a “extra serene” marketing campaign for his aspect this season and that the brand new format “protects larger golf equipment towards jeopardy”.
“The pinnacle-to-head video games actually outlined the group levels in earlier seasons. Dropping to Bayern Munich final 12 months created a whole lot of rigidity and drama that possibly wasn’t there within the new league part format,” he added.
“Arsenal would have needed to haven’t solely misplaced the 2 video games towards groups from seeded pot two – which they did – however to have misplaced twice towards lower-ranked groups from pot three or 4 too. It isn’t very seemingly.
“Should you barely mess up the league part, like Arsenal did, you go into the play-offs and you may most certainly get a winnable tie.”
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Boss Slegers added that Arsenal have been “just one story” and also you would want to see how this fashion “works over time” when it comes to whether or not it favours prime golf equipment.
Have English golf equipment merely improved in Europe?
Chelsea have come unstuck towards Barcelona in 4 of the previous 5 seasons [Getty Images]
Regardless of format change debates, one factor English golf equipment have undoubtedly proven is that they’re amongst Europe’s elite.
Arsenal are nonetheless the one membership from these shores to win the competitors, doing so twice, however solely in 2023-24, they didn’t progress from the qualifying rounds.
They bounced again final season, enjoying 15 matches en path to the ultimate the place they shocked Barcelona to take the title.
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They didn’t out of the blue turn out to be winners in a single day – they’d been succesful for some time however had not proven it constantly.
In the meantime, Chelsea are serial semi-finalists having been prior to now three, and have been runners-up in 2021.
“We now have a really sturdy league and we’ve been attempting to get to that time the place we do not simply have one staff representing us within the latter levels,” former England midfielder Fara Williams stated on Disney+.
“The very fact we’ve three groups within the quarter-finals reveals the expansion of the league and that while you make investments, that is what can occur.”
Present WSL leaders Manchester Metropolis have discovered the Champions League powerful beforehand, knocked out in qualifying in 2022 and 2023 – they usually haven’t progressed past the quarter-finals since 2018.
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However United have discovered a approach to break by means of and their sturdy defensive file consists of eight clear sheets from 12 matches.
They’ll fancy their possibilities towards Bayern Munich subsequent whereas England are assured to have no less than one consultant within the semi-finals with one in every of Chelsea or Arsenal progressing.
[BBC]
Ben Haines, Ellen White and Jen Beattie are again for one more season of the Girls’s Soccer Weekly podcast. New episodes drop each Tuesday on BBC Sounds, plus discover interviews and additional content material from the Girls’s Tremendous League and past on the