Looking at the field for the last eight in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, it was obvious there would be no easy route to the final for any of those still in the competition, but some may still feel that they got the short end of the straw.
So let’s break down the ties, the key players in each and pick who might advance.
The quarter final first legs will be played over 21-22 March and second legs over 29-30 March.
Wobbling all season under new coach Gérard Prêcheur, we have yet to see the sumptuous football of seasons past from PSG as they continue to fine-tune their attacking line. Having signed the dynamic forward Amalie Vangsgaard off the back of the most profitable season of her career — 22 goals in 25 games for Swedish side Linkoping — the Parisiennes have time to work on finding the rhythm with the Dane leading the line in hopes of putting up a good fight against their German opponents.
Conversely, Wolfsburg have rarely faltered this season, using their attacking might to dictate games both domestically and in Europe… except for their 1-1 draw in Rome during the group stage of this competition. A team stack from top to bottom with goalscorers, the biggest challenge any opposition face is keeping the Wolves out — with the likes of Ewa Pajor, the Polish attacking sensation, in plumb form, the PSG defence may not prove strong enough. However, they’re more than just a forward line: expect Wolfsburg midfielder Lena Oberdorf, whom many will remember impressing at the Euros, is likely to drop a little deeper to disrupt the French attack to stop the flow of the ball to Kadidiatou Diani.
Wolfsburg, a former Champions League winner that’s repeatedly come undone against PSG’s league rivals, Lyon, will feel confident they’ve got what it takes to get to the last four and are the favourites for the tie.
