The new season of the Women’s Champions League begins this week with an unusually open field, as last year’s dominant champions, Barcelona, face significant squad changes that have altered the competitive balance. The Spanish club, which has reached six consecutive European finals and claimed four titles in the past six years, enters the tournament with a markedly different lineup following notable departures.
Key players from last year’s winning side have left Barcelona ahead of the campaign. Ona Batlle has moved to Arsenal, Salma Paralleuo transferred to OL Lyonnais—against whom she scored twice in last season’s final—and both Alexia Putellas and Mapi León signed with London City Lionesses. These changes have diminished the aura of invincibility that Barcelona exhibited in their recent runs, although the club still boasts a strong roster. Barcelona retains Aitana Bonmatí, a three-time Ballon d’Or winner, though her availability for their opening match against Paris FC on Wednesday remains uncertain due to injury. Other important figures include Ewa Pajor, the competition’s top scorer last season, and team captain Patri Guijarro.
Despite these departures, Barcelona remains a formidable contender, but the competitive landscape now appears more balanced. OL Lyonnais, aiming to recapture the title they last won in 2022, made significant reinforcements during the transfer window. The French club secured the services of Paralleuo and Scotland’s Caroline Weir, who joined after four years with Real Madrid. This season presents a unique opportunity for OL Lyonnais’ owner Michèle Kang and head coach Jonatan Giráldez, who previously led Barcelona to consecutive titles in 2023 and 2024, to claim the trophy with a second team. Lyon began their campaign strongly with an 8-1 victory over Le Havre, where Paralleuo scored her first goal for the club.
Other leading contenders include Bayern Munich alongside three English clubs—Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City—all boasting substantial resources and ambitions to challenge for the title. Arsenal, last champions in 2025 and winners of the competition’s precursor in 2007, remain the only English club to have won major European silverware. This is notable amid the Women’s Super League’s heavy financial investments and ongoing rivalry with the National Women’s Soccer League for global recognition as the strongest league.
As the tournament unfolds, observers will watch closely to see if the English sides can break through and establish European dominance, or whether Barcelona and OL Lyonnais will continue to set the pace in the competition. The early matches will provide insights into how the reshuffled squads can adapt to the pressures of continental competition and which clubs emerge as frontrunners in this increasingly unpredictable Women’s Champions League season.