Manchester City v Linköping

(21 March, Academy Stadium, and 28 March, Linköping Arena)

Manchester City, after a flying start, are under scrutiny for the first time. This tie against Sweden’s champions comes amid their worst run since May 2015. City have lost twice and drawn once since their extra-time victory over Birmingham on 18 February in the FA Cup, their most recent match being a crushing 1-0 defeat by Arsenal in the Continental Cup final.



As the league hots up – City are one point behind Chelsea having led for much of the season – Nick Cushing has found his squad depth tested, with injuries to the captain Steph Houghton and first-choice goalkeeper Karen Bardsley (now both back) particularly unwelcome. With nine of his side called up by England for the SheBelieves Cup, City’s players have struggled to catch a breath whereas other teams have been significantly less affected.

Yet Linköping should not trouble City. They became Swedish champions in November and have played cup games and friendlies to maintain their momentum but have had markedly less competitive football and the Damallsvenskan league is not as strong as the WSL. They have never made it past the quarter-finals. Last month they signed English striker Natasha Dowie after Boston Breakers folded.

City, having fallen at the semi-final stage last year to eventual champions Lyon, will benefit from the addition of Nadia Nadim to their UWCL squad and Pauline Bremer’s return from injury.

Verdict: Manchester City

Montpellier v Chelsea

(21 March, La Mosson, and 28 March, Kingsmeadow)



Chelsea are showing the benefits of a strong roster in all areas. Emma Hayes’ shrewd rotation is reaping rewards and the return of Crystal Dunn to the US shouldn’t be too disastrous. Chelsea, through to the FA Cup semi-finals and top of the league, have not lost in eight and Sunday’s 3-0 Cup defeat of Liverpool will have done confidence the world of good.

Having knocked City off the top of the league, thanks in part to Fran Kirby’s 14 goals in 19 games, Chelsea should ease past Montpellier if they show the attacking flair they have done all season. The French club are third in their league, three points behind Paris St-Germain and 11 adrift of Lyon, but are on a five-game unbeaten run.

In the last round they saw off Brescia 9-2 on aggregate and, having not made it past the quarter-finals since 2006-07, will be hopeful Swedish forward Stina Blackstenius, who has 10 goals in 15 league games but only one in the Champions League, can take her domestic form into Europe.

Verdict: Chelsea

Wolfsburg v Slavia Prague

(22 March, AOK Stadium, and 28 March, Eden Arena)



Wolfsburg are two-times Champions League winners and, although the more recent of those successes came in 2014, Slavia Prague will have pulled off an almighty upset if they make it into the semi-finals.

Slavia are six points clear at the top of the Czech league and unbeaten since 20 May 2017. Put like that, they sound strong, except the Czech league pales in comparison with the quality, competitiveness and investment in Germany. Wolfsburg won the double last season and are three points clear of Bayern Munich with a game in hand on top of the Frauen Bundesliga. They have also benefited from extra rest, their weekend match against USV Jena having been postponed.

Wolfsburg lost to Lyon in last season’s quarter-finals and the 2015-16 final, and should cruise through. If they were to meet Chelsea their star forward Pernille Harder (13 goals in 13 league games and three in four UWCL games) would come up against her partner, Chelsea’s Swedish defender Magdalena Eriksson, in a competitive match for the first time.

Verdict: Wolfsburg

Lyon v Barcelona

(22 March, Parc Olympique Lyonnais, and 28 March, Mini Estadi)

Arguably the tastiest tie sees Lyon take on a financially reinvigorated Barcelona. Lyon are four-times UWCL winners and are aiming to become the first team to win it three times in a row. They have won the Division 1 Feminine for 11 consecutive seasons (and the cup for six) and will be firm favourites to claim another treble.

They returned from Lille 10-1 victors on Saturday, their fourth double-figure result since they last drew or lost – 1-0 against Manchester City on 29 April 2017 in last season’s UWCL (they won 3-2 on aggregate).

Barcelona’s task is big but they have been pouring resources into their women’s team, recruiting former Manchester City striker Toni Duggan and the Netherlands’ Lieke Martens. Both are proving their worth, Duggan with 10 goals in 22 league games (and three in four in the UWCL) and Martens with eight in 22 (and two in three in the UWCL).

They are second in the league, one point behind Atlético Madrid, but their form has dipped slightly. Their past two games were 1-1 draws against Sporting de Huelva and Atlético.

Lyon have been handed a worthy venue, in the men’s team’s 59,186-seat stadium, and Duggan will play against former City team-mate Lucy Bronze, who has been excellent at right-back since joining the French club. “All the Lyon girls are really excited about the tie,” said Bronze, speaking as an ambassador for the Know The Score campaign which raises awareness about bowel cancer. “It will be a huge spectacle with the players that Barcelona have got.

“Obviously, I know Toni really well, but for myself I’ll probably be matched up against Lieke. I love playing against big players.”

Verdict: Lyon

Talking points

• Following the postponement of three of the weekend’s FA Cup quarter-finals, the semi-final draw has been made. Durham or Everton will play Arsenal or Charlton. Chelsea, who beat Liverpool in the only game played, will face Sunderland or Manchester City.

Maren Mjelde scores from the spot for Chelsea. Photograph: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

• FifPro has revealed the Finnish government is investigating whether the national Football Association is discriminating against the women’s national team. The team receive worse pay and conditions than the men’s side and the government’s equality ombudsman is looking into whether that is illegal. Gender discrimination is prohibited in Finland and legislation requires sports organisations which receive state subsidies to promote equality.

• Lewes, who last year announced they would be paying their men’s and women’s teams equally, have applied for a place in the new women’s championship (semi-professional second tier) from next season. Lewes play in the FA Women’s Premier League South (third tier).

• England’s Jodie Taylor scored as Seattle Reign defeated UCLA 4-0 in their last pre-season match. Megan Rapinoe and a Beverly Yanez double completed the win after Rapinoe set up Taylor’s chipped opener.

• The New York Times reports that Fifa is discussing plans for an international women’s league. It would involve 16 of the world’s top national teams playing each other from as early as November 2019. There are also plans for four regional leagues to encourage the growth of the game and offer a chance of promotion to the top. In response to criticism the decision has been pushed back until Fifa’s next council meeting in June.