Man City’s Matildas face Barcelona in Champions League
Manchester City, who include Matildas Alanna Kennedy and Mary Fowler, have been handed the toughest possible Women’s Champions League group stage opponents.
Friday’s 16-team draw pitted City with face two-time defending champions Barcelona.
The pair will also face St. Polten and Hammarby in the traditional round-robin groups that start on October 8.
Lyon, the record eight-time European champions now managed by Australian coach Joe Montemurro, landed in a tough group with 2013 and 2014 winners Wolfsburg, Roma and debutant Galatasaray.
Arsenal’s Australian contingent of Caitlin Foord, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Matildas’ Olympic captain Steph Catley, who is currently recovering from injury, can look forward to clashes with European heavyweights Juventus and Bayern Munich. Their group is completed by Valeranga.
Chelsea, who include Sam Kerr, a long-term absentee with a ACL tear, have been top-seeded in a group with Real Madrid, Twente and Celtic.
The top two in each group advance to the knockout stage. Two-leg quarter-finals are in March, the semi-finals are in April and the final is at Sporting Lisbon’s stadium on May 25.
WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW
Group A: Lyon (France), Wolfsburg (Germany), Roma (Italy), Galatasaray (Turkey).
Group B: Chelsea (England), Real Madrid (Spain), Twente (Netherlands), Celtic (Scotland).
Group C: Bayern Munich (Germany), Arsenal (England), Juventus (Italy), Vålerenga (Norway).
Group D: Barcelona (Spain), Manchester City (England), St. Polten (Austria), Hammarby (Sweden).
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