Women's Champions League 2023-2024 - the WCL continues without us

[top1whoisman]

Women's Champions League round 2 draw: 15 September

The draw, which will be streamed at 13:00 CET, sets ties to be played on 10/11 and 18/19 October, deciding the last 12 group spots.

The UEFA Women's Champions League round 2 draw, which will be streamed live at 13:00 CET on Friday, will set 12 ties to be played on 10/11 and 18/19 October, deciding who joins direct group-stage entrants Barcelona, Lyon, Bayern München and Chelsea.

Round 2 is split into two paths: the champions path (with 14 teams competing for seven group places) and the league path (ten teams competing for five group spots). Both consist of two-legged ties.

The 15 teams progressing from round 1 join the clubs beginning at this stage, which include two-time champions and 2022/23 runners-up Wolfsburg, twice finalists Paris Saint-Germain, another of last season's quarter-finalists in Roma and debutants Manchester United.

How the draw works

• The teams in each path are seeded into two pots, in accordance with the club coefficient rankings.
• Clubs from the same association cannot be drawn against each other.
• The club drawn first in each tie plays the first leg at home.
• The teams in each path are seeded into two pots, in accordance with the club coefficient rankings.
• Clubs from the same association cannot be drawn against each other.
• The club drawn first in each tie plays the first leg at home.

Champions path

In accordance with paragraphs 13.03 and 13.05 of the Regulations of the UEFA Women’s Champions League 2023/24, the UEFA administration seeds clubs for the round 2 draw based on the club coefficient rankings established at the start of the season.

The 14 teams are divided equally into 7 seeded teams and 7 unseeded teams.

Draw procedure

Two pots are prepared, one for the seeded teams and the other for the unseeded teams.

The balls containing the seeded teams are placed in a bowl marked ‘Seeded’ and the balls containing the unseeded teams are placed in a bowl marked ‘Unseeded’.

One ball is taken from each bowl and placed in a large empty bowl, where they are shuffled. The first team drawn will play its first match at home against the second team drawn.

The same procedure is carried out with the remaining balls to complete all the round 2 pairings.

Round 2 champions path contenders and coefficients

Seeded
SK Slavia Praha (CZE) 39.233*
FC Rosengård (SWE) 33.399*
SKN St. Pölten Frauen (AUT) 30.050
Glasgow City FC (SCO) 29.100
SL Benfica (POR) 22.800
FC Zürich (SUI) 22.250
AS Roma (ITA) 21.000*

Unseeded
AFC Ajax (NED) 18.400
ŽFK Spartak Subotica (SRB) 16.800
FC Vorskla (UKR) 12.000
Apollon Ladies FC (CYP) 11.800
Valur (ISL) 10.200
AS FC Universitatea Olimpia Cluj (ROU) 9.600
SK Brann (NOR) 7.100

*Entering in round 2

League path

In accordance with paragraphs 13.03 and 13.05 of the Regulations of the UEFA Women’s Champions League 2023/24, the UEFA administration seeds clubs for the round 2 draw based on the club coefficient rankings established at the start of the season.

The 10 teams are divided equally into 5 seeded teams and 5 unseeded teams.

Clubs from the same association cannot be drawn against each other. If a clash occurs, the team drawn will automatically be transferred to be the away team of the next tie and another team will be drawn from the same bowl into the free position of the current tie ensuring each tie is composed of one seeded and one unseeded team. Similarly, when completing the next tie, the home team will be drawn from the relevant bowl in order to respect the seeding principles. Should a country clash be possible when drawing the last two ties, the teams will be drawn and will be assigned to the ties

Draw procedure

Two pots are prepared, one for the seeded teams and the other for the unseeded teams.

The balls containing the seeded teams are placed in a bowl marked ‘Seeded’ and the balls containing the unseeded teams are placed in a bowl marked ‘Unseeded’.

One ball is taken from each bowl and placed in a large empty bowl, where they are shuffled. The first team drawn will play its first match at home against the second team drawn.

The same procedure is carried out with the remaining balls to complete all the round 2 pairings.

Round 2 league path contenders and coefficients

Seeded
VfL Wolfsburg (GER) 104.333*
Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) 97.166*
Real Madrid CF (ESP) 37.233*
AC Sparta Praha (CZE) 27.233*
BK Häcken FF (SWE) 22.399*

Unseeded
Paris FC (FRA) 18.166
Eintracht Frankfurt (GER) 17.333
FC Twente (NED) 15.400
Manchester United Women (ENG) 12.366*
Vålerenga Fotball (NOR) 12.100

*Entering in round 2

Season calendar

Round 2
First leg: 10/11 October
Second leg: 18/19 October

Group stage draw
20 October, Nyon

Group stage
Matchday 1: 14/15 November
Matchday 2: 22/23 November
Matchday 3: 13/14 December
Matchday 4: 20/21 December
Matchday 5: 24/25 January
Matchday 6: 30/31 January

Quarter-final & semi-final draw
6 February, Nyon

Quarter-finals
First leg: 19/20 March
Second leg: 27/28 March

Semi-finals
First leg: 20/21 April
Second leg: 27/28 April

Final (San Mamés, Bilbao)
24, 25 or 26 May tbc

 

[Lightbringer]

Anyone have Valium or Flunitrazapam to spare? This draw is going to kill me one way or another!

 

[top1whoisman]

Anyone have Valium or Flunitrazapem to spare? This draw is going to kill me one way or another!

You just know it’ll be Real, PSG or Wolfsburg.

 

[Demon Barber]

You just know it’ll be Real, PSG or Wolfsburg.

Have faith. We have never been in the CL. They will be hoping not to draw us.

 

[Rood]

So these are the 5 we can draw?

VfL Wolfsburg (GER) 104.333*
Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) 97.166*
Real Madrid CF (ESP) 37.233*
AC Sparta Praha (CZE) 27.233*
BK Häcken FF (SWE) 22.399*

 

[top1whoisman]

Have faith. We have never been in the CL. They will be hoping not to draw us.

Looking at that unseeded group, I agree. I mean I’m sure they wouldn’t want to face Frankfurt or Paris FC either though.

I’m just so nervous, I really want us to get to the group stage.

 

[top1whoisman]

You can watch the draw live here.

 

[top1whoisman]

Shit, missed out on Häcken. Would’ve gone to the away match.

 

[top1whoisman]

Häcken vs Twente
Real Madrid vs Vålerenga
Frankfurt vs Sparta Praha
Manchester United vs PSG
Paris FC vs Wolfsburg

 

[top1whoisman]

Oh well.

 

[Ubik]

Had a feeling we'd get them.

 

[top1whoisman]

Had a feeling we'd get them.

I was sure it’d be Wolfsburg. So I guess that’s a win to avoid them.

 

[top1whoisman]

We beat PSG 1-0 last summer in a friendly btw.

 

[Ubik]

I was sure it’d be Wolfsburg. So I guess that’s a win to avoid them.

Jackie back, the whole Qatar thing, all the men's team matches, seemed ordained.

A tie where if we win it's a pretty big announcement that we've arrived, if we lose it's kinda expected. Unless we get battered, but I'll think optimistically

 

[top1whoisman]

First leg: 10/11 October (H)
Second leg: 18/19 October (A)

 

[rooneyberbatov]

PSG?
Second worst option after Wolfsburg in my opinion. But oh well, welcome to the big league Exciting!

 

[Demon Barber]

Great draw. We will stuff them. Fear no-one.

 

[Lightbringer]

Gutted to see Kopparberg Göteborg face Twente while we go for PSG. We cant complain but for womens football it would be better if we made it. Man City ras run into a wall many times which they deserve of course, but still :-)

 

[top1whoisman]

Gutted to see Kopparberg Göteborg face Twente while we go for PSG. We cant complain but for womens football it would be better if we made it.

I think overall for women’s football and its development long term it’s just as crucial if teams from Sweden and the Netherlands make it rather than additional teams from already strong countries/leagues.

I know what you’re saying and of course personally I want the same but looking at it objectively it’s not necessarily the case.

 

[Lightbringer]

I think overall for women’s football and its development long term it’s just as crucial if teams from Sweden and the Netherlands make it rather than additional teams from already strong countries/leagues.

I know what you’re saying and of course personally I want the same but looking at it objectively it’s not necessarily the case.

Well, the swedish league is going to fall back (which it already has) to being a feeders league and thats not going to change because UEFA or whatever it is keeps a ranking system that rewards not the current best teams, but the one thats been best over a long time. Of course this will eventually change if United manage to get into to the champions league. The problem is you might end up like City and lose 3 out of 3 against PSG and Wolfsburg kind of competition and then its almost impossible to get enough ranking points to get seeded in the final qualiy round.

I also think they need to change that Arsenal would have been seeded in this 2nd phase over us, since we finished above them in the league this season.Its like we could finish above Arsenal to 2-3 years in a row and still get a harder path to the UCL.

To me the UCL or World Cup or whatever it is should have the current best teams, not hand clubs thats been there before benefits because of their history and status. To grow womens fotball we also need new clubs to be encouraged to invest to get into the UCL, right now its kind of impossible unless you have such an amazing team you can beat one of the powerhouses.

I am not saying this for United only, I think it was unfair to City as well, even though it was hilarious to see them go out every year.

This lottery we just lost was crucial to our growth as a club to compete with Arsenal and Chelsea short and long term, nothing is lost yet of course, but it was a massive decision.

 

[top1whoisman]

Well, the swedish league is going to fall back (which it already has) to being a feeders league and thats not going to change because UEFA or whatever it is keeps a ranking system that rewards not the current best teams, but the one thats been best over a long time. Of course this will eventually change if United manage to get into to the champions league. The problem is you might end up like City and lose 3 out of 3 against PSG and Wolfsburg kind of competition and then its almost impossible to get enough ranking points to get seeded in the final qualiy round.

I also think they need to change that Arsenal would have been seeded in this 2nd phase over us, since we finished above them in the league this season.Its like we could finish above Arsenal to 2-3 years in a row and still get a harder path to the UCL.

To me the UCL or World Cup or whatever it is should have the current best teams, not hand clubs thats been there before benefits because of their history and status. To grow womens fotball we also need new clubs to be encouraged to invest to get into the UCL, right now its kind of impossible unless you have such an amazing team you can beat one of the powerhouses.

I am not saying this for United only, I think it was unfair to City as well, even though it was hilarious to see them go out every year.

This lottery we just lost was crucial to our growth as a club to compete with Arsenal and Chelsea short and long term, nothing is lost yet of course, but it was a massive decision.

Oh yeah the system is far from ideal and UEFA has to re-think it through. Quickly hopefully.

 

[Dan_F]

Well, the swedish league is going to fall back (which it already has) to being a feeders league and thats not going to change because UEFA or whatever it is keeps a ranking system that rewards not the current best teams, but the one thats been best over a long time. Of course this will eventually change if United manage to get into to the champions league. The problem is you might end up like City and lose 3 out of 3 against PSG and Wolfsburg kind of competition and then its almost impossible to get enough ranking points to get seeded in the final qualiy round.

I also think they need to change that Arsenal would have been seeded in this 2nd phase over us, since we finished above them in the league this season.Its like we could finish above Arsenal to 2-3 years in a row and still get a harder path to the UCL.

To me the UCL or World Cup or whatever it is should have the current best teams, not hand clubs thats been there before benefits because of their history and status. To grow womens fotball we also need new clubs to be encouraged to invest to get into the UCL, right now its kind of impossible unless you have such an amazing team you can beat one of the powerhouses.

It’s honestly maddening. A small team I follow in Europe knocked out a much bigger team in the Champions League qualifiers, then when they went into the Europa League qualifiers they were unseeded and got a difficult draw, dropping down to the conference, meanwhile the team they originally beat got a piss easy draw because they were seeded.

All very irrelevant to this draw, but just saying that the coefficient system is terrible.

 

[Lightbringer]

Oh yeah the system is far from ideal and UEFA has to re-think it through. Quickly hopefully.

Or we beat PSG and win the tournament, then the ranking system will start to benefit us But I would still think the system is wrong.

Rosengård of sweden also got some bizarre shit team to play against, Rosengård is currently 5th or 6th in the swedish league but looks set to go into the champions league.

Arsenal was of course a different story since they would have gotten easier teams all the way into UCL but just busted, so thats very different, thats fair.

How many years does the ranking point go back?

 

[Lightbringer]

Actually, I think playing at Leigh would benefit us as we are used to playing there. If we get into the UCL, there are many more games. I would not say this is a slam dunk decision to take.

My club Hammarby has the same dilemma playing at a smaller venue Kanalplan that takes 4000, but then switching to Tele2 Arena that takes 33 000 for some games.

And the fotball is always worse at the bigger stadium because the team is not used to the surface etc.

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[madi5h]

Well, the swedish league is going to fall back (which it already has) to being a feeders league and thats not going to change because UEFA or whatever it is keeps a ranking system that rewards not the current best teams, but the one thats been best over a long time. Of course this will eventually change if United manage to get into to the champions league. The problem is you might end up like City and lose 3 out of 3 against PSG and Wolfsburg kind of competition and then its almost impossible to get enough ranking points to get seeded in the final qualiy round.

I also think they need to change that Arsenal would have been seeded in this 2nd phase over us, since we finished above them in the league this season.Its like we could finish above Arsenal to 2-3 years in a row and still get a harder path to the UCL.

To me the UCL or World Cup or whatever it is should have the current best teams, not hand clubs thats been there before benefits because of their history and status. To grow womens fotball we also need new clubs to be encouraged to invest to get into the UCL, right now its kind of impossible unless you have such an amazing team you can beat one of the powerhouses.

I am not saying this for United only, I think it was unfair to City as well, even though it was hilarious to see them go out every year.

This lottery we just lost was crucial to our growth as a club to compete with Arsenal and Chelsea short and long term, nothing is lost yet of course, but it was a massive decision.

This is how football has always been at every level, the powers that be want the highest prestige clubs at there tournaments, united is an odd case because while the name alone gives them prestige, the womens team have not earned any of it yet.
I doubt any man utd mens team or england supporters here have a problem with how these systems help them, but as an irish lad i have known both sides of this coin well. It is what it is and will never change imo, man utd women just have to fight through it in the long run

 

[Lightbringer]

So the champions of a bunch of obscure leagues gets an easy way into the UCL? City and United would win the swedish leauge with 25 points and yet sweden can have 2 teams in the UCL easily with Arsenal, United and City missing out.

What does the people want to see, Barcelona vs Manchester united 4-2 or Barcelona vs Spartak Subotica 9-1?

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[top1whoisman]

So the champions of a bunch of obscure leagues gets an easy way into the UCL? City and United would win the swedish leauge with 25 points and yet sweden can have 2 teams in the UCL easily with Arsenal, United and City missing out.

What does the people want to see, Barcelona vs Manchester united 4-2 or Barcelona vs Spartak Subotica 9-1?

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It’s called Champions League. Not the Super League.

 

[Lightbringer]

It’s called Champions League. Not the Super League.

I surrender to that, soundly beat, well done!

 

[top1whoisman]

Thinking of signing up to DAZN, but I have no idea if they will show the UWCL games here in Finland.

 

[Ubik]

Just had a look at Real's previous qualifying campaigns as they're a similar situation to us (only recently formed a women's team), they had to do it the hard way as well and beat City (twice ) to get to the group stage. Though they do have the advantage of it being easier to qualify via their league.

 

[Maestro14]

I’m quite happy with PSG to be honest. I think Hacken would’ve been potentially a very tricky tie just based on the fact they’re in the middle of the season whereas ours hasn’t started yet so they might have the advantage over us in terms of fitness. And I’d much prefer them over Real Madrid. We can take some confidence from our pre-season win and performance against them a year ago. And we’ve gotten stronger since then.

Gonna look at getting tickets for the away game. Really looking forward to it!

 

[Lightbringer]

Thinking of signing up to DAZN, but I have no idea if they will show the UWCL games here in Finland.

The UCL game will probably be streamed on the web in decent quality.. The regular season games is not available for free on any free streaming service yet.

 

[top1whoisman]

The UCL game will probably be streamed on the web in decent quality.. The regular season games is not available for free on any free streaming service yet.

The qualifier could perhaps be shown on the DAZN youtube channel?

I don’t care about free. I want to support women’s football. Take my money!

 

[Lightbringer]

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[ForeverRed1]

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Awwwwwww. Miss her.

 

[top1whoisman]

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[Demon Barber]

Tough draw, but we expected tough. Winnable. Earps to power in a header in the 94th minute.

 

[Grande]

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Ah, I miss Jackie.

They are big odds favorites to me. Been in the CL final twice recently. They have the experience of international tournaments, in addition to a very good team.

 

[Himannv]

Hope she doesn't score against us or something. Still unhappy that she doesn't play for us anymore.

 

[top1whoisman]

1st leg | Tue 10 Oct 20:00 GMT | Leigh Sports Village