Champion League
Christy Ucheibe’s Benfica and Chiamaka Nnadozie’s Paris confirm UWCL opponents
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
The Nigeria duo of Christy Ucheibe and Chiamaka Nnadozie now know their opponents in Round one of the 2023/2024 UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL).
Round one draw for the 2023/2024 UWCL took place in Nyon on Friday, with Ucheibe and her SL Benfica side facing Northern Ireland opposition in Cliftonville Ladies in Round One, hoping to return to the group stage of the competition.
The Nigerian midfielder and her club reached the group stage last season but couldn’t progress from a group with champions FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Rosengard. Super Falcons goalkeeper, Nnadozie and her French side Paris FC will play Ukraine’s Kryvbas.
Chiamaka Nnadozie of Paris
The French side were knocked out at the UWCL Qualifiers last season by quarter finalist, AS Roma from Italy 5-4 on penalties after a goalless draw.
UWCL Round 1 is one of two rounds before the 16-team group stage, which begins in November and will be split into two paths: the champions path and the league path.
In both paths, round 1 will consist of two stages, each of one-off knockout matches played in single-venue mini-tournaments: semi-finals (6 September) and finals/third-place play-offs (9 September).
The winners of each final (11 in champions path, four in league path) will progress to round 2. The hosts of the knockout mini-tournaments will be confirmed from among the clubs in each group.
