Strongest ever Women's Champions League lineup
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
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Season 2013/14 is the toughest yet with Tyresö FF and Paris Saint-Germain FC joining holders VfL Wolfsburg and three ex-champions while 32 of 54 entrants await the qualifying round draw.
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Newcomers from Sweden and four past champions are among 54 teams from 46 nations in the running for the 2013/14 UEFA Women's Champions League – with the 27 June qualifying round draw in Nyon streamed live on UEFA.com from 14.00CET.
The top two clubs in the eight highest-ranked countries according to the access list and the champions of the next six associations receive byes to the round of 32. The other 32 entrants must compete in the qualifying round from 8 to 13 August for ten spots alongside those 22 clubs already in the knockout phase.
The qualifying round hopefuls are ranked according to their coefficient, and in the draw one team from each of the four established seeding positions will be allocated to one of the eight qualifying groups. Eight teams have also been designated as hosts and will be drawn first from a separate pot, and placed in their group according to their seeding position.
Among the qualifying round participants are Faroese side KÍ Klaksvík, keeping up their record of entering all 13 seasons of UEFA women's club competition, plus five debutants: Clube Atlético Ouriense of Portugal, Irish champions Raheny United FC, Macedonian representatives ŽFK Bilјanini Izvori 2010, Turkey's Konak Belediyes GSK, Welsh champions Cardiff City FC (not to be confused with English-based Cardiff City LFC) and the last team to qualify, FC Union Nové Zámky, who clinched the Slovakian title last week.
The eight qualifying group winners, plus the two runners-up with the best record against the sides first and third in their section, procede to the draw for the round of 32, with the two-legged knockout phase beginning in October. Clubs taking part for the first time who have been seeded straight to the last 32 include Tyresö FF – the Swedish champions boast among their number Marta, who inspired Umeå IK to victory in 2004 and two more finals.
Also of note are ASV Spratzern, making their debut after Austria overtook Norway as one of the eight nations allowed two entries, having narrowly failed to deny SV Neulengbach's bid for an 11th straight title on goal difference. FC Twente and R. Standard de Liège represent the Netherlands and Belgium respectively as the top teams from their countries in the new joint BeNe League, which the Dutch club won.
Holders VfL Wolfsburg will begin their campaign in the round of 32 along with the side whose two-year reign they ended in London last month, Olympique Lyonnais, and fellow former champions 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam and Arsenal LFC. Paris Saint-Germain FC, second behind Lyon in France last season, are also strong contenders.
The final will be on 22 May in Lisbon, two days before the men's UEFA Champions League decider at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica. It will be the fifth one-off final under the current format, with the previous four matching Lyon against a German club.
Tournament calendar
Qualifying round draw: 14.00CET, 27 June
Qualifying round: 8–13 August
Round of 32 & 16 draw: 5 September
Round of 32: 9/10 & 16/17 October
Round of 16: 9/10 November & 13/14 November
Quarter-final & Semi-final draw: 21 November
Quarter-finals: 22/23 & 29/30 March
Semi-finals: 19/20 & 26/27 April
Final (Lisbon): 22 May
Full entry list with coefficients
Bye to round of 32 (*national runners-up)
VfL Wolfsburg (GER, holders)
Olympique Lyonnais (FRA)
1. FFC Turbine Potsdam (GER)*
Arsenal LFC (ENG)
FC Rossiyanka (RUS)*
ASD Torres Calcio (ITA)
Brøndby IF (DEN)
FC Malmö (SWE)*
AC Sparta Praha (CZE)
Fortuna Hjørring (DEN)*
Paris Saint-Germain FC (FRA)*
SV Neulengbach (AUT)
FK Zorkiy Krasnogorsk (RUS)
Birmingham City LFC (ENG)*
Tyresö FF (SWE)
R. Standard de Liège (BEL)
UPC Tavagnacco (ITA)*
WFC SSHVSM Kairat (KAZ)
FC Barcelona (ESP)
Lillestrøm SK (NOR)
Thór/KA (ISL)
ASV Spratzern (AUT)*
Qualifying round (**hosts)
Seeding position 1
Glasgow City LFC (SCO, draw pot 5)
RTP Unia Racibórz (POL, 5)
FC Zürich Frauen (SUI, 5)
FC PAOK (GRE, 5)
Apollon Limassol LFC (CYP, 1)**
Olimpia Cluj-Napoca (ROU, 1)**
MTK Hungária FC (HUN, 5)
WFC SFK 2000 Sarajevo (BIH, 1)**
Seeding position 2
PK-35 Vantaa (FIN, 1)**
WFC Kharkiv (UKR, 4)
ŽFK Spartak (SRB, 4)
FC Twente (NED, 1)**
FC NSA Sofia (BUL, 4)
ASA Tel-Aviv FC (ISR, 4)
FC Bobruchanka (BLR, 4)
KÍ Klaksvík (FRO, 4)
Seeding position 3
WFC Osijek (CRO, 3)
Gintra Universitetas (LTU, 3)
WFC Pomurje (SVN, 1)**
Raheny United FC (IRL, 3)
Clube Atlético Ouriense (POR, 1)**
FC Union Nové Zámky (SVK, 3)
Pärnu Jalgpalliklubi (EST, 3)
Cardiff City FC (WAL, 3)
Seeding position 4
ŽFK Bilјanini Izvori 2010 (MKD, 2)
Konak Belediyesi GSK (TUR, 2)
Crusaders Strikers WFC (NIR, 1)**
CS Goiador-SS 11-Real (MDA, 2)
Ada Velipoje (ALB, 2)
Birkirkara FC (MLT, 2)
WFC Ekonomist (MNE, 2)
SK Liepājas Metalurgs (LVA, 2)