Knockouts begin with Barcelona bow

The UEFA Women's Champions League knockout stage begins on Tuesday with FC Zürich Frauen and Inka Grings getting the games under way and FC Barcelona's debut against Arsenal LFC among the round of 32 first-leg highlights.

Grings, a winner with FCR 2001 Duisburg in 2009, scored three goals in the qualifying round and now needs only two more to equal Hanna Ljungberg's all-time record of 39 in UEFA women's club competition. She could achieve that on Tuesday, but France's FCF Juvisy Essonne, one of 22 teams given a bye to this stage, provide tough opposition.

The bulk of the first legs are on Wednesday and include the start of Lyon's bid for a third straight title away to Finland's PK-35 Vantaa. Meanwhile, at the Mini Estadi, in the shadow of the Camp Nou, Barcelona play their debut European fixture against 2007 champions Arsenal.

Four further first legs take place on Thursday, including the keenly awaited bow of ambitious VfL Wolfsburg, who hope to do what German compatriots 1. FFC Frankfurt, 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam and Duisburg managed: win the European title in their maiden season. They are away to Poland's RTP Unia Racibórz while MTK Hungária FC welcome Swedish champions WFC Malmö, for whom Anja Mittag is herself just three goals short of Ljungberg's record mark.

In the round of 16, for which an open draw was made, the winners of the tie between Barcelona and Arsenal will face two-time champions Potsdam should they knock out Standard Fémina de Liège. Arsenal will also have their sights on a home-town final in London on 23 May having missed out in the last four to Lyon when Fulham FC's Craven Cottage staged the 2011 decider.

Round of 32 draw
First legs: Wednesday (*Tuesday, **Thursday)
Second legs: 3/4/11 October

Stjarnan (ISL) v FK Zorkiy Krasnogorsk (RUS)
*FC Zürich Frauen (SUI) v FCF Juvisy Essonne (FRA)
PK-35 Vantaa (FIN) v Olympique Lyonnais (FRA, holders)
Birmingham City LFC (ENG) v ASD CF Verona (ITA)
Glasgow City LFC (SCO) v Fortuna Hjørring (DEN)
**MTK Hungária FC (HUN) v WFC Malmö (SWE)
CFF Olimpia Cluj (ROU) v NÖSV Neulengbach (AUT)
**RTP Unia Racibórz (POL) v VfL Wolfsburg (GER)
Apollon Limassol LFC (CYP) v ASD Torres Calcio (ITA)
Stabæk Fotball (NOR) v Brøndby IF (DEN)
**WFC SFK 2000 Sarajevo (BIH) v AC Sparta Praha (CZE)
BIIK Shymkent (KAZ) v Røa Fotball Elite (NOR)
Standard Fémina de Liège (BEL) v 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam (GER)
**ADO Den Haag (NED) v FC Rossiyanka (RUS)
Spartak Jaffa (SRB) v Göteborg FC (SWE)
FC Barcelona (ESP) v Arsenal LFC (ENG)

Round of 16 draw
Played 31 October/1 November & 7/8 November

Apollon/Torres v Olimpia Cluj/Neulengbach
Birmingham/Verona v MTK/Malmö
Glasgow/Fortuna v Spartak/Göteborg
Unia/Wolfsburg v BIIK/Røa
Sarajevo/Sparta v Den Haag/Rossiyanka
Stjarnan/Zorkiy v Vantaa/Lyon
Barcelona/Arsenal v Standard/Potsdam
Stabæk/Brøndby v Zürich/Juvisy

Knockout calendar
Quarter-final & semi-final draw: 20 November
Quarter-finals: 20/21 & 27/28 March
Semi-finals: 13/14 & 20/21 April
Final (London): 23 May