The FC Bayern Women face Barcelona, Rosengård and Benfica in the group stage of this year's UEFA Women’s Champions League. That was the outcome of Monday’s draw in Nyon made by Nadine Kessler, former women's world player of the year and section head of women's football at UEFA, and the Dutch football legend Manon Melis. Exact timings are set to be announced later today.
Reunion with all three group opponents
The highlights in the group stage for the FCB Women will definitely be the games against Barcelona. Bayern could be playing at the Camp Nou as Barça announced in August that they want to play all Champions League group matches there. The FCB Women played the Catalonians in the semi-final in 2019. There will also be reunions with the other group opponents: Bayern beat Rosengård in the quarter-finals in 2021 and they played Benfica in the group stage last season.
"We are full of confidence"
FCB head coach Alexander Straus was positive after the draw: "We are very happy with the outcome of today's draw for the Champions League group stage. They will be very exciting games. Of course, we have drawn probably the most difficult opponent in Barcelona but we've already played them once and we know what’s possible. Therefore we are full of confidence. Rosengård and Benfica are also not unfamiliar to the FC Bayern Women's team. We have already faced them in the Champions League. All the matches give us the opportunity to show what we can do on the big stage. I'm looking forward to it."
The groups
Group A:
Chelsea
Paris Saint-Germain
Real Madrid
KFF Vllaznia
Group B:
VfL Wolfsburg
Slavia Prague
St. Pölten
AS Roma
Group C:
Olympique Lyon
Arsenal
Juventus
FC Zürich
Group D:
Barcelona
FC Bayern
Rosengård
Benfica
Group stage matchdays
Matchday 1: 19/20 October
Matchday 2: 26/27 October
Matchday 3: 23/24 November
Matchday 4: 7/8 December
Matchday 5: 15/16 December
Matchday 6: 21/22 December
The final of the UEFA Women's Champions League will be played at the PSV Arena in Eindhoven on 3 or 4 June 2023. The quarter-finals will be staged on 21/22 March as well as 29/30 March and the semi-final games will be on 22/23 April and 29/30 April. All matches in the 2022/23 UWCL campaign are live on DAZN and available to watch free of charge on the DAZN YouTube channel.
At home to FC Köln before UWCL start
Before the group stage starts on 19/20 October, the FCB Women's team play FC Köln at the FC Bayern Campus on 16 October. Tickets for the home game are available here and all students can order a free ticket at the start of term. So, grab your tickets fast and off to the Campus.
