Overview

• Chelsea opened with a 1-1 draw at Twente in Enschede, as Sandy Baltimore equalised from the spot after Danique van Ginkel’s 63rd-minute strike.
• Sonia Bompastor rotated heavily, with Livia Peng starting in goal and key absences including Catarina Macario, Lauren James, Lucy Bronze and Niamh Charles.
• Real Madrid overpowered Roma 6-2 in their opener, adding to an eventful first week of the league phase.
• Earlier results set the tone: Barcelona thrashed Bayern Munich 7-1 and Lyon beat defending champions Arsenal 2-1.
• The revamped format sends the top four directly to the quarterfinals with teams 5–12 entering playoffs, and matches are streamed on Disney+ in the UK and Paramount+ in the U.S.