UEFA Women’s Champions League: Wolfsburg & Frankfurt exit as Bayern remain sole Frauen-Bundesliga representatives | OneFootball

FC Bayern will be the only German club in the league phase of the UEFA Women’s Champions League after Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt were knocked out on Wednesday. The Frauen-Bundesliga champions are automatically through to the league phase as the draw will be out on Friday.

However, Wolfsburg and Frankfurt will be in the second qualifying round draw for the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup instead. The latter reached the semi-final of the inaugural competition last season.

Niko Arnautis’ side will be back in Europe’s second-tier tournament after an extra-time defeat to PSG. After both legs ended in 1-1 draws, the French side scored four goals in the last 25 minutes to go through with an aggregate score of 6-2.

Hayley Raso’s red card at the midpoint of the second-half was the decisive factor, although Rebecka Blomqvist’s equalizer did come after Frankfurt were reduced to ten. Merveille Kanjinga and Sakina Karchaoui scored braces for the hosts. Frankfurt started their Frauen-Bundesliga campaign with four points.

Meanwhile, Wolfsburg are top of the league as they narrowly beat Bayer Leverkusen after an 8-2 victory over Nürnberg in the opening matchday. However, Stephan Lerch’s side will now miss out on the Champions League proper.

The two-time winners won the first leg against Inter 2-0, but the Italians cancelled out that result over 90 minutes at Stadio Ernesto Breda. 18-year-old midfielder Weronika Araśniewicz thought she sent the former giants to the league phase before an injury-time strike took the tie to penalties. 

Summer signing Mara Alber was the only one to miss her attempt in the penalty shootout as Wolfsburg failed to make the group stage (league phase) of the Champions League for only the second time since 2012/13.