The road to the UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage will be tough should the Gunners reach qualifying Round 2 as they will not be seeded and at risk of meeting a top team.

Everton Women v Arsenal Women FC FA Women s Super League 02/05/2021. Goal 1-2 Arsenal midfielder Kim Little 10 scores from the penalty spot 1-2 and celebrates winning the game with the last kick of the ball during the FA Women s Super League match between Everton Women and Arsenal Women FC at the Walton Hall Park Stadium, Liverpool, United Kingdom on 2 May 2021. Liverpool Walton Hall Park Stadium Copyright: Craig Galloway
Everton Women v Arsenal Women FC FA Women s Super League 02/05/2021. Goal 1-2 Arsenal midfielder Kim Little 10 scores from the penalty spot 1-2 and celebrates winning the game with the last kick of the ball during the FA Women s Super League match between Everton Women and Arsenal Women FC at the Walton Hall Park Stadium, Liverpool, United Kingdom on 2 May 2021. Liverpool Walton Hall Park Stadium Copyright: Craig Galloway

Arsenal are playing in the league path, that will qualify five teams to the new, lucrative Group stage.

In qualifying Round 1, Arsenal will be seeded, as they will be one of the highest coefficients among the following entries:

  • Brøndby 41.900
  • Zurich 30.600
  • Arsenal 27.700
  • Minsk 25.200
  • Bordeaux 18.400
  • Hoffenheim 15.100
  • Real Madrid or Levante 12.800
  • PSV 9.000
  • Kristianstad 8.100
  • Slovacko 7.300
  • Valur 7.000
  • Okzhetpes 6.700
  • Milan 5.200
  • Rosenborg 4.800
  • Celtic 4.600
  • Loko Moscow 3.500

Arsenal will have to win two straight knock-out games against lower-coefficient teams to get to qualifying round 2.

The Gunners would be favourites against all but a few of those opponents will include the former Arsenal manager, Pedro Martinez Losa, now with Girondins de Bordeaux in France.

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The four winners from Round 1 will enter the draw alongside the six teams that are through directly to Round 2.

  • Lyon 124.400
  • Wolfsburg 97.100
  • Man City 79.700
  • Rosengard 49.100
  • Sparta or Slavia Praha 35.300/52.300
  • Real Madrid or Levante 12.800

Arsenal will not be seeded in Round 2 because of their current 27.700 coefficient that puts them in the bottom five out of 10 teams. The Gunners will be drawn against one of the five top seeds.

Because one of the top seeds is Manchester City, and you cannot be drawn against a team from your association, it means Arsenal will be drawn against either Lyon, Wolfsburg, Rosengard, or another team to be decided after Round 1.

Basically, Arsenal have a 50% chance of drawing a world-class team that has been really consistent in reaching the later stages of the Women Champions League in recent seasons.

It would certainly be a mouth-watering tie to see Lyon or Wolfsburg at Borehamwood FC early in September, but it could also bring the Gunners’ European season to a premature end.

Obviously, the first task will be to get through Round 1 by winning the two knock-out games and then hope for a kind draw to go Arsenal’s.

Slavia or Sparta Prague would see Arsenal as the favourites to go through while Rosengard or Brondby would also be winnable ties.

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