The UEFA Women's Champions League knockout phase play-offs continue on Thursday with first-leg matches between VfL Wolfsburg and Juventus, followed by Atletico Madrid against Manchester United. These games determine the final quarter-final spots alongside Barcelona, Olympique Lyonnais, Chelsea and Bayern München. Wolfsburg aims to leverage home advantage, while Juventus seeks a rare deep run in the competition.
The inaugural UEFA Women's Champions League knockout phase play-offs resume on Thursday, February 12, with two key first-leg encounters. VfL Wolfsburg will host Juventus at 18:45 CET, followed by Atletico Madrid hosting Manchester United at 21:00 CET. These matches feature teams that finished fifth and 12th in the league phase, blending experienced European sides with debutants at this stage.
For Wolfsburg versus Juventus, the sides previously met in the 2021/22 group stage, where Juventus earned four points from head-to-head fixtures, including a 2-2 draw sealed by Cristiana Girelli's added-time equaliser. Wolfsburg, who have reached at least the quarter-finals in 12 of their last 13 campaigns, sit second in the Frauen-Bundesliga with 12 wins from 15 games. They scored 13 goals in the league phase but kept only one clean sheet. Juventus, the defending Serie A champions, are third in their league and have won their last five games in all competitions. Lineth Beerensteyn, Wolfsburg's top scorer with 13 goals this season, faces her former club, while Paulina Krumbiegel returns to Germany after scoring her first Serie A goal recently.
Wolfsburg coach Stephan Lerch confirmed defender Camilla Küver is out with a knee injury, joining Janou Levels, Cora Zicai and Smilla Vallotto on the sidelines. Predicted line-ups include for Wolfsburg: Johannes; Linder, Kleinherne, Wedemeyer, Pujols; Minge, Peddemors; Huth, Popp, Bussy; Beerensteyn. For Juventus: de Jong; Calligaris, Harviken, Kullberg, Carbonell; Wälti, Schatzer; Bonansea; Pinto, Beccari; Girelli.
In the later match, Manchester United hold a 1-0 edge from the league phase thanks to Fridolina Rolfö's volley, though she is sidelined with a knock alongside Katie Galton and Ella Toone. Atletico Madrid, who reached the quarter-finals in 2019/20, scored 13 league phase goals and have won four of their last five two-legged UEFA ties. The winners will face Bayern München and Barcelona in the quarter-finals on March 24/25 and April 1/2.
Wednesday's first legs saw Arsenal defeat OH Leuven 4-0 and Real Madrid edge Paris FC 3-2. Second legs are scheduled for February 18 and 19.
