What to look out for on UEFA Women's Champions League Matchday 2: Thursday

The 2022/23 UEFA Women's Champions League group stage continues on Thursday: we preview the action.

Turin reunion

The competition began with a sensation last Wednesday as Lyon – shorn of the injured Ada Hegerberg, Catarina Macario and Griedge Mbock Bathy, among others – started their title defence with a 5-1 defeat by Arsenal. That was comfortably OL's heaviest European reverse and pretty much unprecedented ever since FC Lyon became Olympique Lyonnais in 2004.

Still, a trip to Juventus Stadium might prove a tonic since it was there in May that Lyon dethroned Barcelona to claim the club's eighth Champions League title. They also knocked out Juventus in the quarter-finals, though the Italian side began with a 2-1 comeback win in Turin before the tie was turned in France.

"We have senior players in the treatment room for many weeks but we have a squad available," says Lyon coach Sonia Bompastor. "We won't find any new players in the next few days. You have to mentally regain confidence and go with ambition to play against Juventus and put on a performance there to get back in position in the standings."

As for their opponents, they won their opener 2-0 at Zürich with both goals coming in the last 20 minutes. Having had their last two European campaigns ended by Lyon, it would send a significant message if Juve could keep the holders behind them in the group, especially as they face a double-header with Arsenal once fixtures resume in late November.

Can Rosengård stop Barça?

Barcelona signalled their intent to reclaim the trophy they lost to Lyon last season when they downed Benfica 9-0 in their opening match. Alexia Putellas may be injured and Jenni Hermoso gone, but two-goal Asisat Oshoala was at her unplayable best and Geyse came off the bench for her European debut and quickly grabbed a double of her own.

Next opponents Rosengård, the sole contenders from the competition's one-time Nordic heartland, opened the scoring for the whole group stage through Loreta Kullashi, only to suffer a 2-1 loss at Bayern. However, they showed they will be no pushovers for the two section favourites and will hope to assert their pedigree in Malmö, having reached the last eight on seven occasions in their various guises (even if that includes a 2016/17 elimination by Barcelona).

Briefing notes

• Arsenal will become only the second team after Lyon to reach 100 UEFA women's club games as they welcome Zürich.

• Benfica pulled off perhaps the two biggest surprise results of the 2021/22 group stage, holding Bayern 0-0 and then winning 2-1 at Häcken. The Eagles welcome the German side again on Thursday determined to reassert themselves after their humbling at Barcelona.