NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Titleholder Arsenal will start its Women’s Champions League defense with games against record eight-time winner OL Lyonnes, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the new league-phase format.
Barcelona, which reached the past five finals and won three, got a slate of six opponents including Chelsea — which it beat in the 2021 final — and Bayern in the expanded 18-team draw made Friday.
Though Barcelona has retained star players Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas, there was an offseason exodus of players in fallout from financial problems in the men’s team.
Bayern was drawn with both Arsenal and Barcelona from the pot of top-seeded teams and also got Paris Saint-Germain in one of the toughest six-game slates.
Chelsea got Wolfsburg, a two-time champion and four-time