For the first time, the UEFA Women’s Champions League will feature a 16-team group stage instead of jumping straight into a large knockout phase. And for the first time, the Real Madrid Women have qualified for the Women’s Champions League.
Real Madrid beat Manchester City 1-0 on Wednesday at Manchester City Academy Stadium, securing a 2-1 aggregate victory over the reigning FA WSL runner-up. The second-round triumph through the “league path” places Real Madrid into the group stage, an historic moment for the club that only began playing as Real Madrid Femenino last year.
✨ ¡HISTÓRICO!✨
¡¡Tenemos el pase a la Fase de Grupos de la @UWCL!! pic.twitter.com/TZE4JuOnhE— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadridfem) September 8, 2021
Man City appeared in control of the tie when Caroline Weir gave the English side an away goal in the 47th minute on Aug. 31 at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano. But Mexico international Kenti Robles scored a 92nd-minute equalizer to give the Spanish side a chance heading into the second leg. It was the club’s first-ever Champions League goal.
On Wednesday, Claudia Zornoza smashed the game’s only goal in the 44th minute to secure her side’s place in the Round of 16.
The Real Madrid Women finished second last season in the Primera División to a Barcelona side may have had the best season we’ve ever seen in soccer history. While it took way too long to actually get Real Madrid to field a women’s team, this squad is looking exciting, even if it likely has a way to go to catch rival Barça. (Real Madrid owns the most men’s Champions League titles with 13.)
Manchester City, meanwhile, must deal with a season out of Europe a year after reaching the quarterfinals (and losing 4-2 on aggregate to Barcelona). The Citizens lost their American players Rose Lavelle, Sam Mewis and Abby Dahlkemper over the summer but appeared to have reloaded. Barcelona captain Vicky Losado, Reggae Girlz star Khadija “Bunny” Shaw and former Tottenham/Orlando Pride Australian Alanna Kennedy were all brought in but were unable to get City into the Champions League group stage.
In other action in the Champions League second round on Wednesday, American Catarina Macario scored to help Lyon edge Levante 2-1 (4-2 on aggregate), Wolfsburg blanked Bordeaux 3-0 in a shootout after a 5-5 aggregate tie and Stina Blackstenius, who torched the USWNT at the Olympics, scored twice to help Häcken beat Vålerenga 3-2 (6-3 on aggregate). On Thursday, Arsenal takes a 3-0 aggregate lead into its trip to Slavia Praha and Juventus attempts to defend its 2-0 advantage over Vilaznia.
Barcelona, PSG, Bayern Munich and Chelsea all earned automatic bids into the group stage, but everyone else has to qualify, including Lyon, which before last year had won the last five Women’s Champions League crowns.
One final note, I gotta call out ESPN for not even including these Women’s Champions League qualifiers on its soccer scoreboard. Usually ESPN’s scoreboard is fairly comprehensive (it’s got Costa Rican Primera Division on the list), but apparently women’s soccer only gets Texas A&M vs. Southern on the scoreboard on Wednesday. (Go Aggies.)
