Women's Champions League Matchday 3 preview

UEFA Women's Champions League group stage Matchday 3 is on Tuesday and Wednesday with the first part of double-headers continuing a week later.

We preview the action.

Tuesday's games

Group C

Juventus vs Arsenal

With both these teams having lost to Bayern and beaten Vålerenga, this double-header is taking on even more importance than it seemed when the fixtures were set. Two years ago the same clubs also met on Matchday 3 and 4 when they were first and second in their group, the game in Italy drawn 1-1 and the Gunners winning 1-0 in London as Arsenal ended top but Juventus finished third behind Lyon.

Vivianne Miedema scored both Arsenal goals then but left for Manchester City this summer, and there were even more changes last month when manager Jonas Eidevall stepped down not long after the 5-2 loss at Bayern, with caretaker Renée Slegers currently in charge having overseen the 4-1 defeat of Vålerenga. Juventus's home 2-0 defeat by Bayern was a rare blemish in an otherwise excellent start under new coach Max Canzi.

Bayern München vs Vålerenga

The convincing defeats of Arsenal and Juve were as good as performances as Bayern have put on in the Champions League in their 11 campaigns. While they began with four points from two games last season, winning at Paris Saint-Germain, a subsequent draw and loss against supposed outsiders Ajax left Bayern vulnerable to the group stage exit they eventually suffered. However, their displays so far, with Pernille Harder already clear as top scorer on four goals, will give them confidence of avoiding a similar fate versus underdogs Vålerenga.

In the group stage for the first time, Vålerenga ran Juventus close and only two late Arsenal goals gave that scoreline a look that was harsh on the Norwegian visitors. Four days after the trip to London, Vålerenga beat Kolbotn 3-0 to retain the Toppserien title with two games to spare, having only ever been champions once before 2023. Brann were the last side that could have caught Vålerenga but now Nils Lexerød's team (who won 2-1 away to the Bergen side on 2 November) are looking to upset the odds and emulate their compatriots, who got through the group stage last season.

Group D

Barcelona vs St. Pölten

Barcelona, even by their standards, have been free-scoring this season, with the one blip the 2-0 loss at Man City on Matchday 1, but even that was followed up by the record-equalling 9-0 defeat of Hammarby. The addition of Ewa Pajor, linking her up with former Wolfsburg colleague Caroline Graham Hansen, has if anything made Barcelona even more formidable and they look motivated to catch City as the Blaugrana aim to be the only side to finish first in their group in all four seasons of this format.

St. Pölten have begun with two defeats but against City did what Barcelona could not do and score – twice – before eventually going down 3-2. Still, for a club who have suffered some heavy reverses in the previous two group stages, it did show that the Austrian champions could go toe-to-toe with Europe's biggest names.

Manchester City vs Hammarby

That win in Austria, with a much rotated side, kept City clear in the group, three points ahead of both Barcelona and also Hammarby who, having knocked out Benfica in the Swedish team's maiden European tie, beat St. Pölten 2-0 on Matchday 1. Miedema is currently out after a knee operation but the form of Lauren Hemp, Jess Park, Kadija Shaw and fit-again Jill Roord ensures City still have a prolific attack.

Hammarby's charmed introduction to UEFA competition had a rude interruption at Barcelona but four days later they showed no ill-effects with a dramatic 3-2 comeback win at confirmed Swedish champions Rosengård, whose bid for a perfect Damallsvenskan season was thus ended at game 24 of 26. The key goals were scored by Cathinka Tandberg, who has been in prolific form since her August move from Linköping, while aiding her in attack is Julie Blakstad, who joined Hammarby in January after two years at City.

Wednesday's games

Group A

Galatasaray vs Wolfsburg

It is not jarring that Galatasaray, the European debutants who became first Turkish team to get to this stage, began with losses to Lyon and Roma. But it is certainly eyebrow-raising to see twice champions and five-time finalists Wolfsburg start in similar fashion, especially after their spectacular 12-0 aggregate elimination of Fiorentina in round 2 and also considering they beat Bayern 2-0 in the league between the Roma and Lyon defeats.

Wolfsburg, who will become only the third club to 100 UEFA women's competition matches after the second fixture in this double-header, now must make up a six-point gap to the leading pair to avoid a second straight Champions League disappointment after last season's qualifying exit to Paris FC. Galatasaray have already exceeded most expectations for them this season in this competition and now have another chance to test themselves against one of the Champions League's most storied names.

Roma vs Lyon

Roma also led their group a year ago at this stage but eventually were overhauled by Ajax, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern in a tussle that went to the last minutes of Matchday 6. Their start has been even better this season, with Wolfsburg defeated and six different players on target at Galatasaray.

Defeats by Paris on Matchdays 3 and 4 a year ago were the key to Roma's 2023/24 downfall and they will be keen to avoid that fate against French opposition this time. Lyon are the only team yet to concede a goal across the four groups and looked excellent in their 2-0 victory at Wolfsburg, not to mention the 1-0 win against Paris on 3 November with the goal from Tabitha Chawinga, who scored in two games against OL for the capital club last season before her switch.

Group B

Real Madrid vs Twente

Both these teams have beaten Celtic and lost to Chelsea. Madrid impressed even in their 3-2 reverse in London and the 4-0 defeat of Celtic ensured they would not go through a second straight group stage without a win. Linda Caicedo, after a busy summer where she represented Colombia at both the Olympics and the home FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, has sparkled and given Madrid hope that, unlike for the last two seasons, they will not go out in a group involving Chelsea.

Twente have other ideas on their group debut and although they went down 3-1 at home to Chelsea, the Dutch champions recovered from conceding two early goals to more than hold their own. This is now a pivotal test for a young squad in which 25-year-old Kayleigh van Dooren, overall competition top scorer including qualifying with six goals, is the joint-oldest player.

Celtic vs Chelsea 

Celtic play at their men's stadium for the first time in a European game as the Scottish champions welcome the English title holders. Things get no easier after the losses to Twente and Madrid as Celtic continue to gain experience in their group debut.

On maximum points under new coach Sonia Bompastor, Chelsea face Scottish opposition for the first time since their debut Champions League games against a Glasgow City side featuring future Blues favourite Erin Cuthbert in the 2015/16 round of 32.