Chelsea staged a dramatic comeback to secure their place in the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League on a decisive night of European action. Lucy Bronze and Sam Kerr scored to overturn a deficit and give the Blues a 2-1 victory away at Wolfsburg.
English Clubs' Mixed Fortunes in Final Group Stage
The result at the AOK Stadion was historic, as Sonia Bompastor's Chelsea became the first English club to win at the German side's home ground. The victory ensured they finished third in the group and progressed directly to the last eight.
Meanwhile, Arsenal's hopes of an automatic berth were dashed despite a convincing 3-0 win away to OH Leuven in Belgium. Goals from Olivia Smith and Beth Mead, plus a Saar Janssen own goal, sealed the points but it was not enough to secure a top-four finish, meaning they must navigate the play-offs.
Manchester United had already confirmed a play-off spot before their final match. Jess Park's first-half winner in a 1-0 triumph over Juventus in Turin secured a more favourable seeding for Friday's draw, with Marc Skinner's side finishing sixth overall.
Barcelona Top the Table as Lyon and Bayern Advance
Elsewhere, Barcelona confirmed their status as group winners with a 2-0 victory away to Paris FC. Vicky Lopez and Caroline Graham Hansen were on target for the Spanish giants, who ended with five wins from their six matches.
Eight-time champions Lyon finished second, level on points with Barcelona, after a commanding 4-0 home win against ten-player Atletico Madrid. An own goal, a Wendie Renard penalty, and strikes from Kadidiatou Diani and Korbin Shrader sealed their quarter-final place.
Bayern Munich also booked an automatic spot in the last eight, joining Barcelona, Lyon, and Chelsea. A 3-0 home win against Valerenga, courtesy of goals from Momoko Tanikawa, Stine Ballisager, and Pernille Harder, secured their top-four finish.
Play-Off Picture Takes Shape
The final group standings set the stage for the play-off round draw, scheduled for Friday at 12pm. Clubs finishing between fifth and twelfth, including Arsenal, Manchester United, and Paris FC, will enter the hat.
Real Madrid secured a play-off seeding by finishing seventh after Sara Dabritz's stoppage-time goal earned them a 1-1 draw at Twente. Atletico Madrid, despite their heavy loss to Lyon, also comfortably finished in a play-off position.
The group stage concluded with several matches between already-eliminated sides. Benfica and Paris Saint-Germain drew 1-1 in Lisbon, while Roma's Evelyne Viens scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 rout of St Polten.
