Potsdam lead 2010/11 lineup
Monday, June 14, 2010
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Holders 1. FFC Potsdam will have 50 challengers in the 2010/11 edition after the lineup for next season, including the 28 teams in the qualifying round draw on 23 June, were confirmed.
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The entry list for the second UEFA Women's Champions League season has been confirmed with holders 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam among 51 hopefuls from 43 associations.
Potsdam defeated Olympique Lyonnais in last month's first final since the new competition replaced the UEFA Women's Cup and both are among the 23 national champions given byes to the 32-team knockout phase this time around. Meanwhile, 28 other sides, including the league runners-up from the eight highest-ranked nations – Germany, Sweden, France, Russia, England, Denmark, Italy and Iceland – begin in the qualifying round, played as seven single-venue mini-tournaments from 5 to 10 August.
Those sides, including former UEFA Women's Cup winners and 2009/10 semi-finalists Umeå IK and FCR 2001 Duisburg, will discover their opposition when the draw is made on 23 June. The seven clubs that will host mini-tournaments have been confirmed; they will be kept apart in the draw but will retain their seedings.
The group winners and two best runners-up will join the teams given byes to the knockout phase in the draw for the rounds of 32 and 16 on 19 August. The last 32 will be played on 22/23 September and 13/14 October with the round of 16 on 3/4 and 10/11 November. The draw for the remainder of the competition is made on 19 November with the quarter-finals on 16/17 and 23/24 March and the semi-finals on 9/10 and 16/17 April. The final will be held in London on Thursday 26 May, two days before the men's UEFA Champions League decider at Wembley.
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