Champions League permutations as Arsenal and Chelsea bid to reach quarter-finals

Arsenal and Chelsea return to European action this week looking to confirm a place in the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-finals.

Both clubs maybe done and dusted in the Women's Super League for 2022 as the league enters a festive break, but they will each finish their Champions League group-stage programmes before Christmas Day. The London rivals have each made a strong start to their European campaigns; they are unbeaten and in pole position to secure a place in the knockout stage.

But knowing fellow English club Manchester City were dumped out in the previous round and Chelsea exited at this stage of the competition last year, neither side will be taking anything for granted. However, with both topping their respective groups, qualification can be rubber-stamped this week, so let's run through the permutations.

Arsenal are first in action when they take on the defending champions Lyon on Thursday night. The Gunners are three points clear of the visitors at the top of the group after a narrow 1-0 win over Juventus last week, when a moment of class from Vivianne Miedema proved the difference.

They stunned the French giants 5-1 in the reverse fixture on matchday one - a result that has set the tone for the rest of their European campaign. A win over Zurich at Emirates Stadium and a 1-1 draw with Juve in Turin has given them control of the group.

Jonas Eidevall and his side know that one more win from either of their final two games will guarantee a place in the quarters. If it comes against Lyon this week, Arsenal will be guaranteed to go through as group winners, which is a serious achievement considering the pedigree of clubs they were drawn against.

A draw with Lyon would also be enough to take Arsenal through. This would leave Lyon still three points behind with only one game to spare, but crucially with an inferior head-to-head record, which is used as a tiebreaker before goal difference.

Even defeat by last season's champions may not be a disaster for Arsenal. If this was combined with Juventus failing to beat Zurich in the other Group C game that night, the Gunners would still qualify.

Eidevall will be keen to ensure it doesn't come to that, though, and that his team get the job done at the first opportunity, continuing the momentum they've built in recent weeks. Fellow WSL title contenders Chelsea then take the European limelight on Friday, when they travel to Albanian side KFF Vllaznia Shkoder.

The Blues also top their group with 10 points after three wins and a draw which came last week away to Real Madrid. When Emma Hayes' team last met the Albanians, they handed out a European lesson, winning 8-0 at Kingsmeadow as Sam Kerr scored four and Pernille Harder grabed a hat-trick.

A trip over to Shkoder to face the nine-time national champions should prove a tougher assignment but Chelsea will still be confident of securing their place in the knockout stage of the competition. A win would seal the deal, giving them an unassailable 13 points.

Even a draw would be enough should Paris Saint-Germain beat Real Madrid in the other Group A tie. That would send the Spanish giants out and Chelsea and PSG through.

Should Real get the win and Chelsea only manage a draw, the Blues would still need a result at home to PSG on the final matchday - a game that will be played at Stamford Bridge. A defeat in Albania would be a shock result but, even then, the Blues would still qualify if Real fail to pick up points from their trip to France.

However, to put it simply, Chelsea will want to go into the final matchday knowing their place in the last eight is already confirmed. Considering Vllaznia have yet to pick up a point in Group A, that should be achievable.

Manager Hayes said before the Real Madrid tie that Europe's grandest prize is "always an aim" for her squad and, should they get a result on Friday, they will have taken the first step on the road towards another final.

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