Arsenal Set for OH Leuven Rematch in UEFA Women’s Champions League Knockout Stage

Arsenal will face familiar opposition in the knockout phase of the UEFA Women’s Champions League after being drawn against OH Leuven in a two-legged play-off to decide a place in the quarter-finals.

The Gunners secured a convincing 3-0 victory over the Belgian side on Wednesday in their final group-stage fixture, but the two teams are set to meet again in February following the completion of the draw.

Arsenal and OH Leuven to Meet Again

Arsenal’s win over OH Leuven was sealed by goals from Olivia Smith and Beth Mead, along with an own goal, in front of a record crowd for women’s football in Belgium. Despite the emphatic result, both sides progressed, setting up an immediate rematch in the play-offs.

Arsenal head coach Renée Slegers was full of praise for Leuven after the match, highlighting their rise in the competition.

“I think the way they have been performing is really impressive,” Slegers said. “It says everything about how the game is growing. A team from Belgium is doing this and they’re also through to the knockout phase.”

The winners of the Arsenal–Leuven tie will go on to face Chelsea in the quarter-finals.

Chelsea Secure Direct Quarter-Final Place

Chelsea avoided the play-off round altogether after finishing third in their group, sealing progression with a 2-1 away victory over Wolfsburg. The result ensured automatic qualification to the quarter-finals and was welcomed by head coach Sonia Bompastor.

“The good thing is we don’t have to play two more games, but also we know we are already qualified directly to the quarter-final,” Bompastor said. “That’s what we wanted to achieve coming here.”

Manchester United and Other Key Ties

Manchester United will contest a play-off tie against Atlético Madrid, with the winners set to meet Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

Elsewhere, Paris FC have been drawn against Real Madrid in a play-off, with the victor earning the right to face reigning champions Barcelona. Another standout tie sees Wolfsburg take on Juventus, with Lyon awaiting the winners in the last eight.

Seeding and Match Scheduling

Teams are seeded based on their final group-stage positions, with the higher-seeded sides hosting the second leg of each tie.

As a result, Arsenal (fifth), Manchester United (sixth), Real Madrid (seventh) and Juventus (eighth) will all play the second legs of their play-off matches at home. In the quarter-finals, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Lyon will host the return fixtures.

The play-off first legs will be played on 11 and 12 February, with the second legs scheduled for 18 and 19 February. The quarter-finals will take place on 24 and 25 March (first legs) and 1 and 2 April (second legs).

With several high-profile match-ups on the horizon, the knockout stages promise to deliver another compelling chapter in this season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League.