Women’s Champions League week
The UEFA Women’s Champions League quarterfinals kick off this week with first-leg ties including Real Madrid vs Barcelona and Arsenal hosting Chelsea on March 24 — Arsenal are the reigning champions and the Arsenal–Chelsea tie is being billed as razor-close. (outlookindia.com) (espndeportes.espn.com).
Chelsea’s club statement confirms the first-leg kick‑off time at the Emirates Stadium is 20:00 on 24 March and the tie will be shown live on Disney+; the return leg is scheduled at Stamford Bridge on 1 April with a 20:00 kick‑off. (chelseafc.com) Alessia Russo scored twice in Arsenal’s play‑off win over OH Leuven to reach 50 career goals for the club and, with seven goals in eight UWCL appearances, sits top of the competition’s scoring charts. (arsenal.com) (espn.com) UEFA’s official quarter‑final guide lists first‑leg fixtures on 24–25 March and return legs on 1–2 April, with Manchester United v Bayern München and VfL Wolfsburg v OL Lyonnes joining the Arsenal–Chelsea and Real Madrid–Barcelona ties. (uefa.com) Real Madrid will host Barcelona at the Alfredo Di Stéfano on 25 March (10:45 CET kickoff listed) after Madrid advanced from the play‑offs by eliminating Paris FC in February. (espn.com) (realmadrid.com) This edition’s new 18‑team league phase meant the top four — Barcelona, OL Lyonnes, Chelsea and Bayern München — qualified directly for the quarter‑finals without playing the knock‑out play‑offs. (uefa.com) UEFA notes the Arsenal–Chelsea quarter‑final is the first time two clubs from the same city have met in a UEFA women’s club competition knockout tie, with the London derby’s second leg set for Stamford Bridge on 1 April at 20:00. (uefa.com) (chelseafc.com)
