Chelsea will face Ajax in the quarter-finals of the Women’s Champions League.
Should Chelsea beat their Dutch opponents over two legs in March, they will play either Norwegian side Brann or reigning Champions League winners Barcelona.
Chelsea were one of the seeded teams in Tuesday’s draw, having won their group. That meant they avoided fellow group winners Lyon, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain and will play the second leg of their quarter-final at home.
Chelsea were the only Women’s Super League team to play in the group stage of the Champions League after Arsenal and Manchester City were knocked out in the qualifying rounds. Emma Hayes’ side qualified for the group phase automatically as the 2022-23 WSL champions.
The Champions League quarter-finals will take place on March 19-20 and 27-28, while the semi-finals will be on April 20-21 and 27-28. The final will be held at Athletic Bilbao’s 53,289-capacity San Mames on May 25.
If Chelsea reach the final, it will be manager Hayes’ final game in charge of the club after she announced her decision to end her 12-year stay at the end of this season. Hayes will then become the head coach of the USWNT.
Champions League quarter-final draw
- Brann vs Barcelona
- Benfica vs Lyon
- Ajax vs Chelsea
- Hacken vs PSG
Champions League semi-final draw
- Brann or Barcelona vs Ajax or Chelsea
- Benfica or Lyon vs Hacken or PSG
(Franco Arland/Getty Images)
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