90min
·19 mars 2025
Man City Women vs Chelsea Women: Preview, predictions and lineups

90min
·19 mars 2025
The second of four matches between Chelsea and Manchester City in the space of 12 days takes place on Wednesday night as the pair face off in the first leg of the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Chelsea have been nothing shy of dominant this season, with new manager Sonia Bompastor overseeing a seamless transition into a new era following Emma Hayes' departure last year. The Blues remain unbeaten in all competitions and their hopes of claiming a historic quadruple remain intact after they beat City in Saturday's Women's League Cup final.
The Sky Blues parted ways with Gareth Taylor just days before the final, with former manager Nick Cushing returning to take charge on an interim basis. Cushing's side produced an impressive performance in defeat at Pride Park, and while they've struggled in the Women's Super League this season, sitting 12 points behind Chelsea at the summit, there's hope they can spring a surprise over these two legs.
The Blues advanced into the UWCL quarter-finals after winning all six group games, while City beat the imperious Barcelona in Group D but finished as runners-up.
Here is 90min's guide Wednesday's first leg in Manchester.
Bunny Shaw picked up a hamstring injury at the weekend / Catherine Ivill - AMA/GettyImages
Man City are once again without a pair of familiar names in Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp. The two Lionesses are dealing with knee injuries.
Rebecca Knaak, who joined the club in January, is nursing a hamstring issue and is set to miss out.
Bunny Shaw is also dealing with a hamstring injury she sustained in Saturday's final and is a doubt for the first leg. If the prolific forward is absent, Vivianne Miedema will likely move into Cushing's attack with Jess Park joining Jill Roord and Yui Hasegawa in midfield.
Man City predicted lineup vs Chelsea (4-3-3): Yamashita; Casparij, Prior, Aleixandri, Ouahabi; Park, Hasegawa, Roord; Fujino, Fowler, Miedema.
Sonia Bompastor is still without a long list of players / Catherine Ivill - AMA/GettyImages
Chelsea's performance in the League Cup final should convince Bompastor to make a few changes to her starting XI, but the Blues manager is still without a long list of players.
Naomi Girma, Sophie Ingle, Maelys Mpome, Kadeisha Buchanan, Sam Kerr, Zecira Musovic and Femke Liefting are all sidelined for the visitors.
Lioness Niamh Charles could start at left-back, while Aggie Beever-Jones is pushing for a start up top. Mayra Ramirez, who has scored a couple of UWCL goals this term, should continue in Bompastor's frontline after opening the scoring at the weekend.
Chelsea predicted lineup vs Man City (4-2-3-1): Hampton; Bronze, Bjorn, Bright, Charles; Cuthbert, Nusken; Rytting Kaneryd, Macario, James; Ramirez.
The signs were positive for Cushing's City on Saturday, but Chelsea's ruthless streak came to the fore as they claimed the first piece of silverware on offer this season.
Bompastor's Blues are proving to be an imperious force, and victories such as those they eked at the weekend will bolster belief that they are unbeatable. This is the only major trophy the London club haven't got their hands on, and the new manager has serious pedigree on the European stage.
An improved City are bound to make the visitors work, but Chelsea won't be resting on their laurels after Saturday's victory. They'll be determined to claim a big win away from home to all but secure their place in the last four.