Siobhan Chamberlain
Ex-England and Man Utd goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

If I was one of the Chelsea players whose contract is up, I would want to know who is coming in to replace Emma Hayes.

It will be interesting to see how early they make that decision and when it is communicated to them and the rest of us - once the dressing room finds out then everyone will find out, there is no secrets in football.

If Chelsea don't announce the decision soon then they will run the risk of potentially losing players because they are unsure of what the future at the club looks like.

A reminder of the starting 11s tonight.

Image source, .

Image source, .

Gilly Flaherty
Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

Fran Kirby just changes so much for Chelsea. I watched her run the show for them against Aston Villa, she was my player of the match.

The main thing is looking after her. She is not a player that can play three times a week for 90 minutes, she needs to be kept fit and healthy.

For Chelsea it is about how do we keep her fit and get the best out of her when she is on the pitch? Her link up with Sam Kerr is crucial up top.

They will miss Guro Reiten tonight, she is a key outlet on that left hand side, but having Kirby back in the side is brilliant.

In the WSL, reigning champions Chelsea have won five, drawn one and lost none of their opening six games, scoring 18 goals in the process and only conceding four to sit top of the table.

They will go six points clear if they beat Liverpool in Saturday's only WSL match, with that one taking place at Stamford Bridge.

Image source, .

Siobhan Chamberlain
Ex-England and Man Utd goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

It definitely looks like it will be the toughest year yet in the competition. All of the sides look very strong so no one will be able to take their eye off it for even one moment.

One of the more difficult things for Chelsea is how difficult the WSL is now too. You cannot afford to rest players at the weekend if you want to challenge domestically and in Europe.

Some of the top teams in other countries could potentially have that luxury because there is not much of a challenge for them in their leagues.

But if you want to be the best you have to beat the best, this is the level we want the Champions League to be operating at.

Peter: Rhys, 19:27 ... rest assured, Hayes won't stand for any rubbish ... they won't know what hit them (big ego's and all)....

Gilly Flaherty
Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea and Real Madrid played against each other in the group stages last year, it finished 1-1 in Spain, and Chelsea rode their luck a little bit with regards to the chances they gave up, coming away with a draw in the end.

Real Madrid will be the toughest side they face in the group - you look at their quality, a lot of Spanish World Cup winners from the summer, so it will be a tough tie, especially away from home.

You also look at Paris FC who have beaten Wolfsburg and Arsenal to get into the group stage, so you can't write them off either.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea gained the most points (16) and conceded the fewest goals (one) in the 2022-23 Champions League group stage.

The only goal they let in was against tonight's opponents Real Madrid in a 1-1 draw in Spain after Emma Hayes' side had won 2-0 in London.

Real came third in the group and were eliminated, behind second-placed Paris St-Germain and group winners Chelsea.

The Blues then defeated Lyon on penalties at the end of the two-legged quarter-final before losing 2-1 on aggregate to eventual winners Barcelona in the semi-finals.

Image source, Getty Images

Danish forward Signe Bruun has been the leading light for Real Madrid this season - WSL fans will know her from a short loan spell with Manchester United in the 2021-22 campaign.

In the absence of the injured Caroline Weir, the Dane has scored six goals in eight Liga F matches this term, also ranking fifth highest in the league for most shots recorded with 10.

'Las Blancas' also lead the assist charts in Liga F, with full back Olga Carmona and forward Linda Caicedo having notched five and four respectively across the opening eight matches.

Image source, Reuters

Tonight's match features a large number of players who featured in this summer's Women's World Cup final as Spain beat England 1-0.

Real defender Olga Carmona scored the only goal and then lifted the trophy as Spain's captain, while team-mate Teresa Abelleira also started the match, Ivana Andres and Oihane Hernandez came on as substitutes with Misa Rodriguez, Rocio Galvez, Athenea del Castillo and Claudia Zornoza unused substitutes.

Meanwhile, the England starting 11 included Chelsea defenders Millie Bright and Jess Carter, forward Lauren James came on for the second half with full-back Niamh Charles an unused sub.

Siobhan Chamberlain
Ex-England and Man Utd goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

It will be interesting to see how the format develops in the next few years because I cannot see it staying how it is now.

The financial implications of losing clubs like Manchester United and Arsenal before the group stage is something that Uefa will not want to happen.

In terms of the tournament as a whole, in terms of generating sponsorship deals etcetera, if you are trying to grow the competition there will surely be a re-think

In the early kick-offs, Hacken have held on for an excellent 2-1 away win at Paris FC - the side that eliminated Arsenal in the qualifiers.

There was late drama in Germany as Bayern Munich threw away a 2-0 lead and drew 2-2 against Roma, with Manuela Giugliano scoring a last-minute equaliser for the Italians.

Gilly Flaherty
Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

As a former WSL player of course we want to see English teams qualifying and going deep into the competition, but you need to have respect for the process.

When I was at Arsenal we were in the competition year on year and you accumulate points. Then when I went to Chelsea, we were the best team in the WSL but met Wolfsburg two or three years in a row in qualifying and got knocked out.

If Arsenal had qualified alongside us they would have started later in the competition because they had built that coefficient. It takes time to establish yourself in the competition.

The likes of Paris FC beat Wolfsburg and Arsenal to get to the group stage, they have every right to be here.

Chelsea are the last English side left in European competition after Arsenal lost on penalties to Paris FC in the qualifying stage, before Paris St-Germain eliminated Manchester United 4-2 on aggregate a round later.

United boss Marc Skinner has been critical of a format that has seen his side, last season's runners-up Wolfsburg, semi-finalists Arsenal as well as Juventus all be eliminated before the group phase.

Image source, PA Media

Siobhan Chamberlain
Ex-England and Man Utd goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

Barcelona, reigning champions, are proven winners and have goalscorers all over the pitch.

For Chelsea and Emma Hayes they are the side that they are yet to beat and get the better of. They will be the side to beat for sure this season.

There is also Lyon, we know their pedigree in the competition. Then Bayern Munich, who may come to haunt Chelsea in a way after signing Pernille Harder and Magda Eriksson from them in the summer, they also have a lot of quality.

Image source, EPA

Ada Hegerberg scored her 60th Women's Champions League goal as Lyon opened their campaign with a nine-goal demolition of Slavia Prague.

Kadidiatou Diani and Vanessa Gilles scored two apiece as their dispirited hosts offered little in response.

Hegerberg's milestone goal came in only her 62nd Champions League appearance.

The Norwegian became the tournament's top scorer in 2019 when she broke the previous record of 51 held by Germany's Anja Mittag.

Sara Dabritz opened the scoring for eight-time champions Lyon inside three minutes before Danielle van de Donk poked in from close range to double their lead in Prague.

Four headed goals before half-time followed - from Gilles, Eugenie le Sommer and Diani's double - as the Czechs struggled to deal with Lyon's aerial threat.

After the break, Hegerberg converted from the penalty spot after she was pulled back in the area by Diana Bartovicova.

Amel Majri made it eight with an easy finish from a Van de Donk ball, before Gilles headed in her second with 10 minutes remaining.

Bobbie Jackson
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Barcelona started the defence of their Champions League crown with a comfortable home victory against Benfica.

Captain Alexia Putellas got the hosts on their way, heading in from close range after Caroline Graham Hansen's shot deflected into her path, before doubling Barca's advantage when turning Esmee Brugts' header over the line from close range.

Aitana Bonmati grabbed her first of the night shortly before half-time, showing great composure to turn sharply away from a challenge before drilling in emphatically.

Bonmati's second came when was afforded far too much space early in the second half and the 2023 Ballon d'Or winner punished Benfica with a firm finish into the far corner.

"It's good to start the season in the Champions League, scoring five goals in front of our own fans. We want to keep going for more," said Bonmati.

The pick of the bunch came from Nigeria striker Asisat Oshoala, who scored with her first touch just seconds after coming off the bench, rising acrobatically to meet a cross with a bicycle kick.

Unlike the men's Champions League where there are 32 teams at the group stage, there are only 16 in the women's competition - and two of the favourites made superb starts yesterday...