💫 UWCL Ones to Watch: Big names chase qualification | OneFootball

The final stage of qualifying for the Uefa Women’s Champions League kicks off with the play-off first legs taking place this week.

Some very, very big names have to jump this final hurdle to book their places in the group stage. Here are our ones to watch.

Arsenal v Ajax

Arsenal host Ajax in their first leg on Tuesday in a game that could bring the best out of Vivianne Miedema.

The Dutch forward is usually reserved on the pitch, doing the talking with her feet, not getting dragged into mind games or searching for extra, external reasons for motivation. That Michael Jordan “and I took that personally” thing? Miedema might be the world’s foremost athlete without that mindset.

But maybe not this week. A lifelong Feyenoord fan, will there be fire in her belly to get one over Ajax?

Arsenal shouldn’t need that as big favourites but it will be interesting to see if their biggest star can find a way to go above and beyond her exceptionally high standards in a game that will mean more than most.

Real Sociedad v Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich could not have asked for a tougher draw. Poor Real Sociedad will be thinking the exact same thing.

The hosts finished above Real Madrid in the league last season with Amaiur Sarriegi outscoring everyone else in the Spanish top flight. Team-mate Nerea Eizagirre was only one goal behind and it was a surprise not to see Spain use the pair and their partnership more over the summer.

They take on a Bayern Munich side under new management who were held 0-0 by Eintracht Frankfurt in last week’s Frauen Bundesliga opener.

There is no game that promises more than this one this week.

Big names can’t afford to slip up

There are some other big teams in action and they’re all against teams with UWCL pedigree.

The names you’d have down to qualify are big favourites but Juve and Madrid in particular must be wary playing away from home.