Women's Champions League draw: Holders Arsenal on course for all-English quarter-final with Chelsea as Man Utd prepare for Atletico Madrid rematch

Defending champions Arsenal will face London rivals Chelsea in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals, if they can defeat OH Leuven in the knockout play-offs. The Gunners beat the Belgian minnows 3-0 in the last round of the league phase and will be heavily favoured to do so again, making an all-English quarter-final incredibly likely.

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  Official: Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd & more learn Champions League paths

  Arsenal finished fifth in the UWCL league phase, missing out on an automatic berth through to the quarter-finals by just one point, meaning they are one of eight teams that must navigate the play-off round in February. Manchester United also finished just a point off the top four, in sixth, and have a rematch from the league phase on their agenda as well, after drawing an Atletico Madrid side they beat 1-0 back in October, despite being down to 10 for more than half of the game. Win that two-legged tie, to be played in February, and German giants Bayern Munich will be waiting for the Red Devils in the next round.

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• Confirmed: Women's Champions League knockout play-off ties

  Here is the draw in full:

  Atletico Madrid vs Man Utd

  Paris FC vs Real Madrid

  OH Leuven vs Arsenal

  Wolfsburg vs Juventus

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  Which teams are waiting in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals?

  Not only did this draw decided the play-off ties, it also designated each team to either the silver or blue path, thus making clear their paths through the quarter-finals and semi-finals, through to the final, with there to be no more draws this season as a result. It means that each of the four teams that sealed an automatic berth through to the last eight – Barcelona, Lyon, Chelsea and Bayern Munich – know which matches to watch in February to keep an eye on their next opponents in the Champions League.

  Chelsea have been assigned to the blue path, to face Arsenal or Leuven in the last eight, with eight-time UWCL winners Lyon allocated to the same side. The French giants will face either Wolfsburg or Juventus in their quarter-final, with the winners of that tie and the Chelsea one to meet in the semi-finals.

  On the silver path, Barcelona, winners of three of the last five editions of this competition but defeated in the final last season by Arsenal, will await the winners of a clash between Paris FC and, most notably, Real Madrid, with Bayern Munich then to face Man Utd or Atletico. The winners of those two quarter-finals will then face off in the last four.

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• Who are the favourites for the 2025-26 Women's Champions League?

  Having reached six of the last seven UWCL finals, Barca are one of the favourites to triumph again this season, but they do face some challenges. The squad is much smaller this season and injuries have already started to make that hit even harder, with three-time Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati to potentially miss the rest of the season after suffering a leg break. Lyon, then, have been the pick of many to win this year's trophy. OL were outstanding in the league phase, finishing level on points with Barca but coming second due to goal difference, and have one of the most in-form players in Europe on their side, in Melchie Dumornay.

  There are plenty of others who will fancy their chances, though, not least a Chelsea side that has come so close over the years but often had their European dream ended by a rampant Barca. To hold the Catalans to a draw in the league phase was encouraging in that sense and that the Blues would not meet them until the final feels significant. However, they may have to defeat an incredible Lyon team in order to get to that stage.