Women’s Champions League round of 16: full guide

Headline facts

• There are five first legs on Wednesday and three on Thursday, with the second legs on 16 and 17 November.
• Other than holders Lyon, Wolfsburg are the only other former winners left in the competition.
• Two debutants remain in contention: Manchester City and Eskilstuna United.
• Three teams survive from the qualifying round: Twente, Zürich and BIIK-Kazygurt, the first side from Kazakhstan to reach the last 16.
• Whereas all other previous German entrants (FFC Frankfurt, Turbine Potsdam, Duisburg and Wolfsburg) won the tournament on debut, Bayern München are attempting to get beyond the round of 16 for the first time in what’s their third campaign.
• The round of 32 attracted a record aggregate attendance of 63,831.
• Follow the matches in our MatchCentre or via@UWCL on Twitter and Facebook (#UWCL).

• Full tie-by-tie guide

Wednesday’s first legs …

Can Lyon keep roaring?
The holders face Zürich at Stade de Lyon, where in three previous European appearances they have won 9-1, 7-0 and 5-0. Even at their regular more modest stadium this season, Lyon have plundered 23 goals in three home league games, and when Zürich came to the old Stade de Gerland in the 2008/09 second qualifying round, they were beaten 7-1.

Manchester City: new force
They lifted their first English title this year without losing a match and in their debut European tie they won 4-0 at former finalists Zvezda-2005 to make it to this stage. Now City welcome Brøndby on Wednesday hoping to truly announce themselves as contenders against a club with experience of three semi-finals and unbeaten in 16 outings this term.

©Fodboldfoto.dk

Fortuna face Brescia again

Swift reunions
Two of Wednesday’s fixtures were also played in last year’s round of 16. Brescia edged Fortuna Hjørring 1-0 at home on their way to a 2-1 aggregate triumph, and Barcelona entertain a Twente side they overcame 1-0 in both legs 12 months ago. The 15,637 attendance for their encounter at FC Twente Stadion is a record for the round of 16 and remains in the top ten in the competition’s history

Thursday’s first legs …

Mittag still on the brink
Of the three ties on Thursday, most attention will be on City’s dellow debutants Eskilstuna United’s meeting with Wolfsburg, where visiting striker Anja Mittag remains one goal off being the first to 50 in the competition’s history though she has tended to be used as a substitute by her new team.

However, she did score one goal in two appearances against Eskilstuna when with old club Rosengård, whose forward Marta is just three behind Mittag in the all-time list as they go to fellow 2015/16 semi-finalists Slavia Praha.

• Road to Cardiff