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Emily Keogh
Multiple Authors
The first UEFA Women’s Champions League play-offs will kick off on Wednesday, marking a significant shift in the competition’s structure and intensifying the pressure on the eight competing teams.
The clubs that finished between fifth and 12th in the league phase will now engage in a tense, two-legged struggle to advance to the knockout rounds. With slim margins for error, the play-offs present unique challenges. Established teams like Arsenal and Wolfsburg seek to reaffirm their positions among Europe’s best, while Manchester United and OH Leuven aim to make history by extending their impressive debut seasons. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid are motivated to reclaim their past glory, each eager to surpass their previous best performances in the tournament.
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Except for Wolfsburg and Juventus—familiar foes from past tournaments—all other matchups feature sides that already met in the league phase. yet, numerous changes have occurred since those encounters, as the winter break and transfer window have impacted team dynamics, form, and momentum across all clubs.
As the end of March approaches, the competition heats up for quarterfinal spots. The successful teams will go on to face the four clubs that received automatic entry into the knockout stage: Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and OL Lyonnes.
Arsenal vs. OH Leuven: Revitalized Arsenal pose a new challenge
The last encounter between Arsenal and debutants OH Leuven took place at the end of 2025 during a challenging time for the reigning champions. A slump in form forced them to seek a win alongside several other favorable outcomes to secure a top-four finish. Disappointing results in both the Champions League and the Women’s Super League (WSL) had nearly derailed their European title defense and domestic quest for their first title since 2019, leaving losses and draws in their wake.
In stark contrast, the context of this two-legged play-off is dramatically different, as Arsenal has started the latter half of the season with considerable strength. Gaining seven points against fellow top-three teams in their first three league matches of the year has sent a clear message, including a narrow 1-0 triumph over champions-in-waiting Manchester City, slightly igniting the title race. This momentum has also extended beyond domestic competitions, with Arsenal lifting the inaugural FIFA Champions Cup and claiming the title of world champions, albeit benefiting from certain advantages.
Their 3-0 win against OH Leuven in the league phase occurred during a time when Arsenal struggled with their attacking cohesion, frequently failing to capitalize on chances and displaying uncharacteristic defensive frailties. even with the convincing scoreline, their performance was far from exemplary. Now, however, the title holders seem to have found their rhythm at both ends of the pitch, posing a much stiffer challenge for OL Leuven if they wish to reach the knockouts for the first time.
Paris FC vs. Real Madrid: Spanish side’s chance for an El Clasico knockout
Real Madrid managed a 1-1 draw with Paris FC during the league phase, a result that encapsulated a season marked by inconsistency. The expectations surrounding the team have often exceeded their performance on the field, yet a potential breakthrough may be on the horizon if they can navigate the play-offs successfully. Awaiting them could be a highly anticipated El Clasico in the women’s Champions League since 2022—a painful 5-2 loss—but past failures may serve as the motivation to inspire this Madrid squad.
Madrid faced 18 consecutive defeats against Barcelona. even so, their historic first Clasico victory in March 2025 shifted the narrative. This accomplishment not only boosted their domestic confidence, but could also sharpen their focus against Paris FC and reignite their aspirations to challenge Europe’s elite, including last season’s finalists and former champions.
Historically, Madrid has never progressed past the quarterfinals of this competition. Their desire to disrupt Barcelona’s supremacy and secure a first-ever semifinal appearance may drive them forward.
The squad is filled with intent and ambition, yet execution has faltered on the pitch. Their biggest concern remains conversion; despite averaging more than 20 shots per game this season, Madrid often struggles to transform chances into goals, frequently scoring only once or twice per match. If they can find greater efficiency in front of goal, the path to their most successful Champions League run yet may finally open.
Wolfsburg vs. Juventus: German side’s struggle to maintain leads offers Juve an opportunity
even with often appearing in control during matches and stretches of the league phase this season, Wolfsburg has, time and again, found ways to relinquish their advantages. Few teams have been as consistently well-positioned, and few have been as frustrated by their outcomes. For example, the German giants managed to protect leads in their opening two matches before suffering their first setback at the hands of eight-time champions OL Lyonnes. A subsequent victory over Manchester United seemed to stabilize their position: avoiding defeat in their final two fixtures would have secured a top-four finish.
yet, familiar shortcomings reemerged. In a match against Real Madrid, Wolfsburg failed to capitalize on a two-player advantage, suffering a damaging 2-0 loss. Days later, they squandered an early lead against Chelsea, ending the match 2-1 in defeat. They ranked 16th out of 18 league-phase teams in minutes spent trailing (166), reaffirming a long-standing concern regarding the club: when Wolfsburg is ahead, they frequently struggle to maintain control and see matches through.
This inconsistency renders this fixture unpredictable. History provides some reassurance—Wolfsburg remains among the few winners of the competition—but recent years hint at a lingering psychological barrier. They have not won the trophy since 2014, and the memory of their 2023 final defeat—after leading 2-0 against Barcelona and ultimately losing 4-2—stays fresh.
It seems unlikely that Wolfsburg will rectify their issue of yielding winning positions prior to facing Juventus. Until they prove otherwise, confidence in their ability to secure critical moments will remain brittle, allowing the Italian side to exploit any weaknesses en route to the knockouts.
Atletico Madrid vs. Manchester United: Is Atletico rising?
Atletico and United have faced each other previously in the league phase, where the English newcomers secured a narrow 1-0 victory. The Spanish side has quietly grown into one of the competition’s dark horses, navigating the group stage without elimination and, on paper at least, securing a relatively favorable route to the knockout rounds.
For United, making their competition debut, the challenge is formidable. Aware of their struggles to find the back of the net earlier in the season, they bolstered their attacking options with three new signings to enhance their edge. Yet Atleti’s steady progress appears to tip the balance of the tie in their favor.
The heated match that saw both sides reduced to 10 players last time only sharpened Atleti’s determination to make an impact on the European stage. The Spanish team scored 13 goals across their six league-phase matches, underlining their offensive threat, and both clubs have improved since their last confrontation.
also, Atletico has won four of their last five two-legged encounters in UEFA competitions. compared to, United’s limited experience at this level is reflected in a mixed record, with one win and one defeat in their two-legged encounters.
This matchup presents Atletico an opportunity to regain the European momentum they haven’t truly felt since their quarter-final appearance in 2019-20. After grappling to qualify in recent seasons, last year’s impressive league campaign has shifted perceptions. Increasing confidence suggests that this run could go deeper.
