In a significant turn of events in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, FC Bayern Munich will stand as the only representative from the Frauen-Bundesliga in the league phase following the exits of both Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt. As the reigning champions of the Frauen-Bundesliga, Bayern automatically qualifies for the league phase, with the draw set to take place on Friday.
Wolfsburg and Frankfurt, however, will shift their focus to the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup, where they will be included in the draw for the second qualifying round. Frankfurt notably reached the semi-finals of this inaugural competition last season, showcasing their competitive spirit on the European stage.
Wolfsburg's journey in the Champions League ended after a dramatic encounter against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The two-legged tie concluded with both matches ending in 1-1 draws, but PSG surged ahead in the second leg, scoring four goals in the final 25 minutes to secure a comprehensive 6-2 aggregate victory. A pivotal moment in the match was Hayley Raso’s red card in the second half, which shifted the momentum in favor of the French side, although Rebecka Blomqvist managed to equalize for Frankfurt despite their numerical disadvantage.
Notably, Merveille Kanjinga and Sakina Karchaoui each netted two goals for PSG, demonstrating their attacking prowess. Frankfurt had started their Frauen-Bundesliga campaign with a solid four points, but their European aspirations were thwarted.
On the other hand, Wolfsburg currently sits atop the Frauen-Bundesliga after a commanding 8-2 victory over Nürnberg in their opening matchday, followed by a narrow win against Bayer Leverkusen. Despite their domestic success, Wolfsburg will miss out on the Champions League group stage for only the second time since the 2012/13 season, a disappointing outcome for a club that has previously claimed the title twice.
In their Champions League campaign, Wolfsburg had initially secured a 2-0 victory against Inter Milan in the first leg. However, the Italian side managed to level the aggregate score over 90 minutes at Stadio Ernesto Breda, leading to a tense penalty shootout. Unfortunately for Wolfsburg, 18-year-old midfielder Weronika Araśniewicz's last-minute goal was not enough to prevent the tie from going to penalties, where summer signing Mara Alber was the only player to miss her attempt, sealing their fate.
Leave a Comment