Women's Champions League: Barcelona and Man Utd Seek Top Spots as Bayern and Arsenal Battle To Stay Alive
by Geoffrey Ejiga | by Geoffrey Ejiga
Bayern vs Arsenal
Bayern will take on Arsenal in one of the two early kick-off games. And their matchup is shaping up to be the tightest contest of this round, as neither can afford to drop another point. For insights into the outcome of this game, see our expert’s Bayern vs Arsenal prediction.
While the betting odds favour Arsenal, they have a difficult task on the road, as they face an almost flawless Bayern side. The women's German team has now won its last six games in a row, scoring 24 goals and allowing only four. In fact, Bayern remains unbeaten in 13 of their 14 games so far, recording a staggering 12 wins.
However, their only loss is very relevant here, as it was a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Barcelona in this UCL campaign. An Arsenal side as sharp as this could exploit the same weakness Barca did in that triumphant win. Still, Arsenal are just as likely to lose, as they've done in back-to-back Champions League seasons against Bayern in this stadium.
Manchester United vs PSG
Manchester United haven't been the most entertaining this season, but their efficiency is undeniable. They won both opening games with a single goal, beating both Atletico de Madrid and Valarenga by 1-0. But can they overcome PSG?
They just might do so at home, especially as the French side has started their campaign poorly, losing their opening game to Wolfsburg (4-0) and then to Real Madrid (2-1). PSG have since returned to their winning ways, recording three wins since the Madrid defeat without conceding a single goal.
However, PSG travels to Old Trafford, which has been a fortress for Manchester United. Since May, Man Utd have only lost one of 11 games, and as fate would have it, that happened to be their latest match versus Aston Villa (1-0). But even the last time PSG played Man Utd in Old Trafford, they could only muster a 1-1 draw here despite being the favorites.
Barcelona vs OH Leuven
Tournament favourites Barcelona only need a win against OH Leuven to go top of the table, regardless of the scoreline. In truth, Barcelona deserve it as they've scored the most goals (11) and conceded the least (1), joint with Chelsea.
Barca opened their campaign with a 7-1 victory over Bayern before thrashing Roma 4-0 away from home. OH Leuven would be their easiest game, and we might just be in for another thrashing. This is despite Leuven’s impressive tournament run so far. They've played six games, including the qualifiers, and they haven't lost a single game.
But Barcelona is a different beast. The Spanish side has made it to the last five Champions League finals, winning three in the process. It won't be a surprise if Barcelona makes it to the 2025/26 finals once again.
