💫 UWCL Ones to Watch: Huge pressure on Arsenal, Juve, Bayern, PSG | OneFootball

After the first legs took place a week ago, the Uefa Women’s Champions League play-offs conclude on Wednesday and Thursday and some huge names need results to reach the group stages.

Ajax (2-2) Arsenal

With Vivianne Miedema staying at the club and Leah Williamson and Beth Mead starring as England won Euro 2022, it was almost impossible to imagine a scenario where Arsenal would not reach the UWCL group stages. Yet here we are.

Ajax impressed in London last week and will have a sold out home crowd urging them on to a famous win this week.

As for the Gunners, they will need to bring some of their domestic solidity to the tie after keeping a record eighth consecutive WSL clean sheet as they won Saturday’s north London derby.

BK Häcken (1-2) PSG

PSG dominated the first leg but did not make it count, only finally scoring the winner in the 86th minute. Now a tough trip to Sweden now awaits.

Häcken are in a good rhythm with the Swedish domestic season only pausing shortly for Euro 2022 and then returning in August. The hosts have won five of their six league games since.

Their visitors remain big favourites, certainly compared to the other big names featured here, but there is no room for a slip-up.

Juventus (1-1) HB Køge

Juventus are not in form and that should be a concern against a side that has won six from six to top the league in Denmark at this early stage of the season.

A 1-0 win over Roma is the only time Juve have tasted victory in their last four games and they are struggling for goals too, drawing 1-1 with Køge in the first leg last week and then 1-1 with Sassuolo at the weekend.

Last week’s result was no on-off for Køge either, they only lost 2-0 to Barcelona and 2-1 to Hoffenheim (two sides who beat Arsenal) in last season’s competition.

Bayern Munich (1-0) Real Sociedad

Bayern have probably the toughest task of any of the top sides in the play-off round on their hands, taking on one of Spanish football’s most dangerous sides. Last week’s win was big but the Germans haven’t quite clicked into gear so far this season.

An opening weekend draw with Frankfurt was followed by a 3-0 win at the weekend but they needed Giulia Gwinn to score directly from a corner to break the deadlock before two late goals added some shine to the scoreline against Werder Bremen.

Improvement will be needed to guarantee passage against a side boasting two of the stars of the Spanish league in Amaiur Sarriegi and Nerea Eizagirre.