UEFA Women's Champions League: What to look out for on Thursday
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
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Two of Wolfsburg, Chelsea or Juventus will claim the last quarter-final spots: we preview Thursday's crunch games.
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The first UEFA Women's Champions League group stage ends on Thursday with two quarter-final spots to be decided. We preview the action.
All kick-off times CET, click on links to watch live streams
Group A: Juventus vs Servette (21:00), Wolfsburg vs Chelsea (21:00)
Group B: Real Madrid vs WFC Kharkiv (18:45), Paris Saint-Germain vs Breidablik (18:45)
What to look out for
Three into two won't go
Chelsea lead Juventus and Wolfsburg by three points in Group A and one of that trio will be out come Thursday night. Juve began the group stage as outsiders having never even previously been among the last 16 in any format before this season but their 2-0 win at Wolfsburg and 0-0 draw at Chelsea means a home win against Servette, who are without a point, will ensure progress for the 2022 final hosts.
So one of two-time champions Wolfsburg – who have never failed to make the last eight over their nine previous campaigns – or 2021 runners-up Chelsea could well fall. Another chapter in a compelling rivalry as these clubs become the first to meet ten times in this competition, all since November 2015. Indeed, Wolfsburg are the only club ever to knock Chelsea out before the last eight, in 2015/16 and 2017/18 – the Blues' first two campaigns. Chelsea's two quarter-final wins in March, in a tie moved to Budapest – Pernille Harder scoring against her old club in both legs – was a first success for the English club.
A point ensures first place for the Blues but it is win or bust for the Wolves, who hope not to rue having seen a 3-1 lead disappear on Matchday 1 in London, their former star Harder equalising in added time. Will that prove the pivotal moment of the group stage for both teams?
Key dates
Quarter-final & semi-final draw
20 December
Quarter-finals
First leg: 22/23 March
Second leg: 30/31 March
Semi-finals
First leg: 23/24 April
Second leg: 30 April/1 May
Final (Juventus Stadium, Turin)
Date tbc