While Bayern Munich has started their Champions League campaign, the women’s team has just learned their new opponents for the season.
Starting this season, the competition’s format has changed to match the men’s tournament. Each team will meet two random teams from each pot in a league system, rather than be separated into groups. The eighteen participanst will play six games each, with the top four advancing to the knockout stage, and the next eight to the knockout playoffs, where the four winners
will follow the top four to the quarterfinals. From then, the tournament follows its usual two-legged knockout format, culminating in a one-off final, which will be held in Oslo.
Bayern, who were in Pot 1, have been dealt a very tough draw. Their Pot 1 opponents are both of last season’s finalists, FC Barcelona and Arsenal, the latter of whom are the defending champions.
Pot 2 does not get any easier, with Bayern facing French runners-up Paris Saint-Germain and Italian champions Juventus. Pot 3 yielded Norwegian champions Vålerenga and Spanish side Atlético Madrid. Vålarenga play at the Ullevaal Stadion, the venue of the final.
Coincidentally, Bayern faced Arsenal, Juventus, and Vålerenga in the group stage last season. Bayern beat Juventus twice, drew once and won once against Vålerenga, and shared a win apiece with Arsenal.
Bayern will play Arsenal, Juventus, and Vålerenga at home, and visit Barcelona, Paris, and Madrid. The exact fixtures will be released on Saturday.
