# Women's Champions League wide open as Barcelona weakens

> Barcelona's summer exodus has created genuine unpredictability in this season's competition, with English clubs and OL Lyonnes ready to challenge.
- Title: Women's Champions League wide open as Barcelona weakens
- Summary: Barcelona's summer exodus has created genuine unpredictability in this season's competition, with English clubs and OL Lyonnes ready to challenge. Barcelona…
- Keywords: women's champions league, barcelona women, ol lyonnes, arsenal women, manchester city women, chelsea women, ewa pajor, khadija shaw, georgia stanway, ona batlle, salma paralluelo, alexia putellas
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/22/womens-champions-league-preview-ol-lyonnes-arsenal-chelsea-manchester-city-barcelona
- Published: 2026-09-22T07:00:38+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: women's champions league, barcelona women, ol lyonnes, arsenal women, manchester city women, chelsea women, ewa pajor, khadija shaw, georgia stanway, ona batlle, salma paralluelo, alexia putellas
## Barcelona's dynasty faces real threat
The four-time champions in six years lost four players from their title-winning squad this summer, including Alexia Putellas and Mapi León to London City Lionesses.

> This competition is wide open.
## Key departures reshape the champions
Ona Batlle joined Arsenal while Salma Paralluelo signed for OL Lyonnes, the team Barcelona beat four-nil in last May's final.
## Barcelona still has elite talent
Aitana Bonmatí, winner of the last three Ballons d'Or, leads a squad that includes top scorer Ewa Pajor and captain Patri Guijarro.
## OL Lyonnes eyes their first title since 2022
The eight-time winners added Salma Paralluelo and Scotland midfielder Caroline Weir, hoping to reclaim European glory after a four-year drought.
## Arsenal strengthens with top talent
The 2025 champions added Georgia Stanway from Bayern and Ona Batlle from Barcelona, giving them world-class options off the bench.
## Manchester City has unfinished business
The English domestic champions reached the quarter-finals in 2025 but haven't made a semi-final since 2017-18, with Khadija Shaw ready to lead their European push.
## Chelsea chases their first final since 2021
The Blues lost to Barcelona in the 2021 final and reached the quarter-finals last season, with the 2026 final being held in Warsaw.
## Wolfsburg's streak ends in shock
The two-time champions' 14-year run of consecutive appearances ended when they lost to Inter on penalties in qualifying.
## League phase format runs until December
Eighteen teams compete until December 16, with the top four advancing directly to quarter-finals in March and teams ranked fifth through twelfth playing a playoff in February.
## Key takeaway

Barcelona lost four key players from their title-winning squad, making them beatable for the first time in years despite remaining favorites.