# UWCL Powerhouses Face Off in 2024/25 Champions League Semifinals

Chelsea takes aim at defending Champions League victors Barcelona in this weekend's semifinals. (Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Apr 18, 2025

Claire Watkins

The 2024/25 UEFA Women's Champions League semifinals begin this weekend, as four powerhouse clubs familiar with the [UWCL spotlight](https://justwomenssports.com/reads/uefa-champions-league-kicks-off-2025-quarterfinals-final-leg/) kick off their first matches of the two-leg round.

France's Olympique Lyonnais, Spain's Barcelona FC, and England's Arsenal and Chelsea will battle it out, with just two tickets to the winner-take-all May 24th final in Portugal on the line.

"The coolest thing about big tournaments and high-stake games is you might be expecting something, and you get something completely different," Olympique Lyonnais midfielder [Lindsey Heaps](https://justwomensports.com/reads/catarina-macario-lindsey-horan-shine-in-champions-league-quarterfinals/) told reporters this week. "That's when you see the best teams come out, and they're able to adjust."

Lyon will face Arsenal at Emirates Stadium in Saturday's 2024/25 Champions League semifinal. (Catherine Steenkeste)

## Champions League semis pit WSL against European elite

Arguably topping the four-contender list are defending champs [Barcelona](https://justwomenssports.com/reads/barcelona-uwcl-champions-league-lyon-putellas/), with the Spanish side hunting a fourth UWCL title in five years. First, however, they'll have to contend with a stacked Chelsea team hungry to lift a first-ever Champions League trophy — one that could clinch a [historic quadruple](https://justwomenssports.com/reads/chelsea-fc-keeps-quadruple-dream-alive-with-fa-cup-semifinal-win-over-liverpool-results/).

Meanwhile, with both the men's and women's sides reaching this season's Champions League semifinals, [Arsenal](https://justwomensports.com/reads/uswnt-gotham-midfielder-jenna-nighswonger-leaves-nwsl-for-english-wsl-team-arsenal/) will square off against eight-time champions Lyon in a quest to claim their first UWCL title in over 18 years.

Both WSL titans are chasing history against their European opponents, with Arsenal still the only UK team to ever win Champions League.

The Gunners will kick off the round by hosting Lyon in their 60,000-capacity [Emirates Stadium](https://justwomensports.com/reads/arsenal-women-emirates-stadium-ws/).

"Playing at the Emirates, and the hunger and the belief that we have as a team at the moment, we're going to go and play our game to the best we can," said Arsenal manager Renée Slegers.

With an estimated 40,000 tickets sold for the pivotal clash, Emirates provides an environment even Arsenal's opponents look forward to competing in.

"You always want these kind of crowds and this kind of atmosphere," Heaps said of the Saturday matchup. "Even if it's against you, it's the best thing in the world."

## How to watch the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League semifinals

The first-leg matchups of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League semifinals kicks off on Saturday, when Arsenal hosts Lyon at 7:30 AM ET.

Then on Sunday, Chelsea will travel to Barcelona to take on the reigning champs at 12 PM ET.

Both matches will air live on [DAZN](https://www.dazn.com/en-US/competition/Competition:55hcphd1ccc6eai1ms77460on).

[USWNT Stars Clash in 2025/26 UWCL Semifinals as Arsenal Hosts OL Lyonnes](https://justwomensports.com/reads/uwcl-semifinals-arsenal-ol-lyonnes-barcelona-bayern-uswnt-2026/)

[Barcelona Advances to Champions League Semis on 6-0 Real Madrid Drubbing](https://justwomensports.com/reads/barcelona-wins-champions-league-quarterfinals-real-madrid-results-2026/)

[Arsenal Overcomes Late Chelsea Goal, Controversial Hair-Pull, to Reach Champions League Semis](https://justwomensports.com/reads/arsenal-chelsea-champions-league-semifinals-uwcl-quarterfinal-results-2026/)