Meet the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-finalists

The first-ever UEFA Women's Champions League group stage concluded with four former winners, two other past finalists, a competition debutant and another newcomer to the quarters among the eight teams surviving for the knockout phase.

The quarter-finals begin on 22 March. We introduce the contenders.

Bayern München vs Paris Saint-Germain

Bayern München (GER)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2020/21): 5
How they qualified: German champions
Group stage: Group D runners-up (W4 D1 L1 F15 A3)
Group stage top scorers: Jovana Damnjanović, Lea Schüller 3
Domestic honours: 4 x League champions, 1 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Semi-finals
Quarter-final record: W2 L2

Campaign a nutshell

Opening 0-0 draw at Benfica was not ideal and letting a lead slip in the dramatic 2-1 loss at Lyon made first place unlikely, but a week later they beat the seven-time champions with a goal from their former stalwart Saki Kumagai and Bayern did not look back.

Coach: Jens Scheuer

In charge since 2019 after an impressive spell in charge of Freiburg, Scheuer ensured Bayern dethroned Wolfsburg last season after four years as runners-up.

Key player: Saki Kumagai

Signed in the summer after eight stellar Lyon seasons, the Japan captain is now excelling in a defensive role with the ball-playing chops of a player who has spent most of her career in midfield. Bayern may be yet to win this competition but Kumagai has done so five times.

Did you know?

The oldest club left in the competition, the Bayern women's section founded in 1970, a year before Paris's.

Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2020/21): 4
How they qualified: French champions
Group stage: Group B winners (W6 D0 L0 F25 A0)
Group stage top scorer: Jordyn Huitema 6
Last season: Semi-finals
Domestic honours: 1 x League champions, 2 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Runners-up (2014/15, 2016/17)
Quarter-final record: W5 L1

Campaign a nutshell

First team to be confirmed as group winners following their home and away defeats of Real Madrid on Matchdays 3 and 4, continuing their run from last season when they knocked Lyon out of Europe and deposed them in the French league. Ended the group stage as both top scorers and the only team not to concede.

Coach: Didier Ollé-Nicolle

Brought more than 30 years' worth of coaching experience in the men's game when he took the helm in July following his departure from Le Mans.

Key player: Marie-Antoinette Katoto

At 23 has already scored well over 100 Paris goals and has continued to score at a prolific rate this term.

Did you know?

The Paris squad contains four Olympic gold medallists: Huitema, Stephanie Labbé, Ashley Lawrence (Canada 2021) and Sara Däbritz (Germany 2016).

Real Madrid vs Barcelona

Real Madrid (ESP)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2020/21): N/A
How they qualified: Runners-up, Spain; W2-1agg vs Manchester City
Group stage: Group B runners-up (W4 D0 L2 F12 A6)
Group stage top scorer: Caroline Møller 3
Last season: Not in competition
Domestic honours: Best league finish – 2nd place
Previous European best: Debut
Quarter-final record: N/A

Campaign a nutshell

Stunned Manchester City in round 2 for a spectacular European debut then underlined that with comfortable wins against WFC Kharkiv and Breidablik, even if Paris gave them a tougher welcome to the top level.

Coach: Alberto Toril

A former Madrid player and youth coach, Toril took charge at the end of November following the departure of David Aznar, who had been in charge since before CD Tacón became Real Madrid in July 2020.

Key player: Kosovare Asllani

The experienced Sweden attacker's signing by Tacón in 2019 was a key indicator of the ambition of their new parent club. A knee injury in September was costly to Madrid's league ambitions; Asllani's performance since her early December return, including a progress-clinching double at Breidablik and rare strike past Barcelona, have underlined her importance.

Did you know?

The first competition debutants to reach the quarter-finals since Madrid's own round 2 victims Manchester City in 2016/17.

Barcelona (ESP, holders)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2020/21): 2
How they qualified: Holders, Spanish champions
Group stage: Group C winners (W6 D0 L0 F24 A1)
Group stage top scorer: Alexia Putellas 5
Last season: Winners
Domestic honours: 7 x League champions, 8 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Winners (2020/21)
Quarter-final record: W4 L3

Campaign a nutshell

Their progress was never in doubt after the opening 4-1 defeat of Arsenal and throughout their performances have matched the domination they showed in beating Chelsea 4-0 in last season's final.

Coach: Jonatan Giráldez

The former assistant to Lluís Cortés replaced the UEFA Women's Champions League-winning coach in the summer and has kept Barcelona's stellar run going without missing a step.

Key player: Alexia Putellas

The UEFA Women's Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or winner keeps hitting new heights whether pushing from wide in midfield or racking up the goals in attack.

Did you know?

Were the first Spanish finalists in 2019 and winners two years later.

Juventus vs Lyon

Juventus (ITA) 

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2020/21): 33
How they qualified: Italian champions; W12-0 vs Kamenica Sasa, W4-1 vs St. Pölten,
W3-0agg vs Vllaznia
Group stage: Group A runners-up (W3 D2 L1 F12 A4)
Group stage top scorer: Cristiano Girelli 4
Last season: Round of 32
Domestic honours: 4 x League champions, 1 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Round of 32
Quarter-final record: N/A

Campaign a nutshell

Started in round 1 and even the group stage was the first time they had been among the last 16. Four points against Wolfsburg and a tactically astute draw at Chelsea have taken Juventus to a new level and kept alive their hopes of a final in their men's stadium, where they played their three home group games, attracting big crowds.

Coach: Joe Montemurro

An Australian with roots in Italy, where he spent most his playing career and also received his coach education, Montemurro made his name in the W-League with Melbourne City before a November 2017 switch to Arsenal, aiding them to a stylish Women's Super League title win in 2018/19. Left in 2021 and was appointed by Juve.

Key player: Cristiana Girelli

The last Serie A season in which Girelli did not reach double figures was 2011/12 and she has taken that eye for goal to Europe this term, especially with a double against Wolfsburg in the 2-2 Matchday 3 home draw; her last-gasp equaliser turned Juve's campaign.

Did you know?

In drawing 0-0 at Chelsea, Juventus were the first team to stop the Blues scoring in a European game at Kingsmeadow (their only previous home blank was at Stamford Bridge) or in any home match for almost three years.

Lyon (FRA) 

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2020/21): 1
How they qualified: Runners-up, France; W4-2agg vs Levante
Group stage: Group D winners (W5 D0 L1 F19 A2)
Group stage top scorers: Ada Hegerberg, Catarina Macario 3
Last season: Quarter-finals
Domestic honours: 14 x League champions, 9 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Winners (2010/11, 2011/12, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, record)
Quarter-final record: W11 L1

Campaign a nutshell

Came through a potentially tricky second-round tie with Levante and despite losing at Bayern always looked on course for top spot, thanks to the previously week's comeback defeat of their German group rivals, as they attempt to bounce back from losing their champion status last season. Ada Hegerberg has returned from long-term injury and is back in the goals, a reminder of their recent dominance.

Coach: Sonia Bompastor

A Lyon great as a player, she coached at the academy from 2013 until this April, when she took over the first team near the end of a rare trophyless season.

Key player: Ada Hegerberg

Out for more than 20 months, Hegerberg was eased back in following her October comeback but by December was back to her old prolific form, even breaking more records in this competition. The Lyon team has evolved over the course of her absence but the striker's presence has them looking more like their old selves.

Did you know?

Hold the competition records for title wins, final appearances, semi-final appearances, games played, goals scored and longest unbeaten run – and this season Lyon's Melvine Malard scored the historic first-ever group stage goal.

Arsenal vs Wolfsburg

Arsenal (ENG)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2020/21): 22
How they qualified: Third place, England; W4-0 vs Okzhetpes, W3-1 vs PSV Eindhoven, W7-0agg vs Slavia Praha
Group stage: Group C runners-up (W3 D0 L3 F14 A13)
Group stage top scorers: Caitlin Foord, Vivianne Miedema 2
Last season: Not in competition
Domestic honours: 15 x League champions, 14 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Winners (2006/07)
Quarter-final record: W6 L7

Campaign a nutshell

Sole survivors from first round, had a rude awakening in opening group game at Barcelona but a 4-0 defeat of Hoffenheim the following week proved crucial. A heavy home loss to the holders on Matchday 5 left them needing to avoid a five-goal reverse at Hoffenheim, and a 4-1 defeat meant the Gunners progressed on head-to-head.

Coach: Jonas Eidevall

Appointed in the summer to replace Joe Montemurro, the former Rosengård coach, and his high-energy 4-3-3 tactics with full-backs pushing forward, quickly won over the fans when they inflicted a rare defeat on Chelsea in his first league game at the helm.

Key player: Vivianne Miedema

Another prolific year for the Netherlands forward for club and country, passing 100 goals for the Gunners and reaching 25 in Europe after just 21 career games. The spearhead.

Did you know?

Will be playing in a record 14th quarter-final.

Wolfsburg (GER)

UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2020/21): 3
How they qualified: Runners-up, Germany; W6-3agg vs Bordeaux
Group stage: Group A winners (W3 D2 L1 F17 A7)
Group stage top scorer: Tabea Wassmuth 8
Last season: Quarter-finals
Domestic honours: 6 x League champions, 8 x Cup winners
Previous European best: Winners (2012/13, 2013/14)
Quarter-final record: W6 L3

Campaign a nutshell

Needed penalties to pip Bordeaux in round 2 and then saw a 3-1 lead slip at Chelsea before only picking up one point from their two games against Juventus. Already injury-depleted, their hopes hung by a thread, but then saw off Servette and crucially beat old rivals Chelsea 4-0 to dramatically make it through.

Coach: Tommy Stroot

Born just on the German side of the border with the Netherlands, Stroot won two Dutch titles in four seasons with Twente before his summer switch to Wolfsburg, only their fourth coach since their 2003 foundation.

Key player: Tabea Wassmuth

Prolific in helping Hoffenheim to a European debut, Wassmuth joined Wolfsburg in the summer and her eight goals, including the third and fourth in the decider against Chelsea, made her group stage top scorer.

Did you know?

The first club to reach the quarter-finals ten seasons in succession.

Cup winners refers only to main FA national cup in each country. Quarter-final record counts overall ties rather than individual legs.