UWCL discussion points: What improvements can be made to VAR and officiating? Is Madrid able to retain Caicedo?

The initial legs of the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) quarterfinals have concluded, revealing some surprising outcomes and contentious calls to analyze.

Chelsea expressed dissatisfaction with the referee and VAR regarding a disallowed goal during their 3-1 loss to Arsenal, while OL Lyonnes had two penalty appeals in the first half turned down in their 1-0 defeat to VfL Wolfsburg. On Wednesday, Barcelona decisively defeated rivals Real Madrid 6-2, nearly securing their place in the semifinals, while UWCL newcomers Manchester United managed to come back twice against Bayern Munich but ultimately lost 3-2.

Emily Keogh, Alex Kirkland, and Tom Hamilton address some pressing questions as we look ahead to the second legs next week.

The quality of refereeing and VAR received significant scrutiny during the first two quarterfinals; what improvements are necessary?

Keogh: This matter extends far beyond a few disputed matches. Throughout the history of this competition, there have been many instances of questionable decisions — none more infamous than Kadeisha Buchanan’s red card against Barcelona in 2024, which then-Chelsea manager Emma Hayes famously described as “one of the worst decisions in UEFA Women’s Champions League history.”

Despite the substantial growth of women’s football since Euro 2022, the quality of officiating has not kept pace. There is still a lack of full-time, well-compensated, and adequately trained referees in England, not to mention in nations with less developed professional frameworks.

Numerous domestic leagues continue to function without VAR, making its inconsistent application at the elite level even more problematic. Furthermore, as demonstrated this week with both Chelsea and OL Lyonnes, VAR is not a flawless remedy, as it remains vulnerable to human error.

Ultimately, this is a systemic concern. It is disheartening that, once again, the dialogue is centered around officiating decisions rather than the caliber of football and the intensity displayed by the teams.

– Hamilton: Man United’s significant night was disappointing, but not their resolve
– Kirkland: Barcelona assert their dominance over Madrid in UWCL
– Keogh: Arsenal instruct Chelsea on clinical finishing in UWCL

Kirkland: I concur. The UWCL is advancing rapidly in various aspects; now the quality of officiating must match that progress. Some of these calls — such as the one that disallowed Veerle Buurman’s goal for Chelsea due to a non-existent push while trailing 2-0 against Arsenal, which could have altered the game’s trajectory — are indefensible and undermine the competition’s integrity.

Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor was forthright in her evaluation post-match. “You need to respect the women’s game. You need to respect the players,” she stated. “I don’t understand how, with VAR, you can disallow that goal … I don’t think this is the first time we’ve faced this issue in the Champions League this season. They simply need to improve.”

Indeed, referees and VAR officials must enhance their performance. However, achieving this is easier said than done, and experience is not necessarily the sole factor. Referee Alina Pesu, who officiated the Arsenal-Chelsea match, possesses ample experience at the highest level — she officiated at Euro 2025 — and the VAR, Ovidiu Hategan, has refereed at two men’s Euros.

play1:15Lucy Bronze: Ref the only one on the pitch who would disallow Chelsea’s goal

Lucy Bronze expresses her frustrations following Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat to Arsenal in the first leg of the Women’s Champions League quarterfinal.

Hamilton: After discussing the controversial decisions in Tuesday’s quarterfinals with several individuals in the sport, the prevailing opinion is that the competition requires more experienced officials in the VAR role. While the pool of elite referees in the women’s game is limited, they should be the ones officiating these matches — the top competition deserves the best referees.

This is certainly Bompastor’s perspective … although given that the Women’s Super League did not have a single referee selected for Euro 2024, solutions are not readily available.

Reflecting on Tuesday’s matches, the decision to disallow Buurman’s goal was perplexing at best, while OL Lyonnes can rightfully feel aggrieved after having two first-half penalty appeals rejected: Lindsey Heaps was body-checked when approximately 10 yards out with a clear path ahead, and the ball struck Camilla Küver’s hand on a shot that appeared destined for the goal.

What went awry for OL Lyonnes against VfL Wolfsburg? Can they overcome their 1-0 deficit?

Hamilton: A few factors contributed to their struggles: first, their defense appeared disorganized, and they were excessively vulnerable on the flanks, allowing Wolfsburg numerous opportunities to deliver crosses into the box. Lineth Beerensteyn’s goal was fortunate due to a significant deflection, but she should have been marked more closely, and Lyonnes were fortunate that she later headed over from close range in the first half.

However, Lyonnes supporters need not panic — I fully anticipate the French giants to advance. They created numerous chances and had at least two valid penalty appeals ignored. They have previously shown a tendency to squander opportunities in this competition — they recorded 45 shots against St. Pölten and won 3-0, and there were similarities to that match here. They must refine their finishing for the return leg, but given their chance creation in Germany, with Kadidiatou Diani hitting the post and Marie-Antoinette Katoto missing from close range, along with their ability to break down Wolfsburg on several occasions, Lyonnes should progress.

The first goal will be pivotal — if the German side scores first, it will make things very interesting.

play2:00Wolfsburg edge past OL Lyonnes in quarterfinal first leg

Wolfsburg holds a 1-0 advantage heading into the second leg of their Women’s Champions League quarterfinal against OL Lyonnes, thanks to Lineth Beerensteyn’s deflected goal.

Keogh: Now on the defensive, Lyonnes will almost certainly respond to secure their advancement. The eight-time champions are well aware of what is required in these scenarios and typically deliver. There are still some initial challenges under manager Jonatan Giráldez, who was appointed at the beginning of the season, but overall the transition has been smooth, and the French side remains formidable.

Wolfsburg, on the other hand, have developed an unfortunate tendency to lose control after gaining leads. There have been multiple instances in this competition where they have held the advantage, only to lose momentum and allow opponents back into the match. Given this trend, it would not be surprising to see history repeat itself.

Kirkland: Absolutely. A 1-0 first leg loss away from home is not catastrophic. As Tom mentioned, Lyonnes could easily have scored one or two goals at the Volkswagen Arena — they had 19 shots, but only three were on target — and they will be confident in their ability to do so in the second leg.

Considering their recent record, they have frequently won by large margins, even netting five, six, or seven goals in matches in French football, and they accumulated 18 goals in six UWCL league phase games. I would be surprised if they did not advance to the semifinals.

Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 6-2. Will Las Blancas ever bridge the gap with their eternal rivals, and can they retain superstar Linda Caicedo?

Kirkland: Ever? Yes, of course … as “ever” is a long time. But not in the near future. Madrid may have secured their first victory against Barcelona last year — the all-time record in this matchup now stands at 22-1 — but watching Wednesday’s match at Valdebebas, it still felt as though there is a significant disparity between the two teams.

Madrid has made strides, but they still lack overall quality and a clear collective identity; Barça was utterly ruthless, and a 6-2 scoreline was no exaggeration.

The teams will meet again in Liga F this weekend, ahead of next week’s second leg, and Barça midfielder Patri Guijarro stated afterwards that their goal was to leave Madrid thinking “oh no, not again on Sunday.” Mission accomplished.

Caicedo shone, but it wasn’t sufficient on the night. However, she does have a contract until 2030, which gives Madrid some leverage.

Hamilton: What Alex mentioned: Barcelona’s women’s team is at least a decade ahead of Real Madrid in their development. Caicedo is an exceptional player, the kind you would travel to see regardless of the opponent, but the club must match her remarkable talent with significant indications of their own ambition. Time is on her side, but careers are short, and when a dominant team consistently wins league titles, playing second fiddle can become tiresome.

Madrid’s academy is still far behind Barça’s production line, and they are also set to lose a couple of immense talents at the end of the season in Caroline Weir and Naomie Feller, as ESPN reported earlier this week.

For Madrid to catch Barcelona, two things must occur: they need Barça’s incredible talent pool to disperse across Europe (with several high-profile players out of contract this summer), and their own recruitment must improve.

play1:21Linda Caicedo’s stunner pulls one back for Real Madrid

Linda Caicedo scores a stunning goal for Real Madrid’s second of the night, as they trail Barcelona 5-2 in their Women’s Champions League clash.

Keogh: The gap is narrowing, but only slightly. Madrid still lags behind Barcelona significantly in terms of squad depth, tactical cohesion, identity, and overall player quality. Caicedo is an extraordinary talent, but she can only elevate the team to a certain extent.

For Real to genuinely advance, the surrounding team must elevate their performance to match hers. Too often, they appear disjointed, rich in individual talent, yet unable to consistently collaborate. They know how to win, but struggle with the psychological challenge of facing Barcelona. Their defense can seem solid, yet is too easily exposed under pressure.

If Madrid is serious about becoming true contenders and matching Barcelona’s level, substantial changes are necessary. This process should begin with fully constructing the team around Caicedo — something that arguably should have been prioritized from the moment she arrived.

As for Caicedo, she is undoubtedly my favorite UWCL player to watch at the moment. Her two goals in this match were delightful, particularly the second. She recently signed a new contract, and Madrid aims to build a team around her, as coach Pau Quesada acknowledged afterwards. “We have to support her,” he stated. “The Madrid we want to build is with those players who make the difference.”

While some may be skeptical, I believe Caicedo will want to remain and lead that transformation. Madrid is an excellent place to be, even if the team is still a work in progress. At 21, she has time on her side.

play0:33Alex Scott, Nedum Onuoha caught by half-time shower at Old Trafford

Alex Scott and Nedum Onuoha are interrupted by sprinklers during half-time of Manchester United vs. Bayern Munich in the Women’s Champions League.

Manchester United demonstrated they can compete against Bayern Munich, but what steps do they need to take to truly elevate themselves and join Europe’s elite?

Hamilton: This question was posed to United manager Marc Skinner after the match, and it boils down to the harsh reality of recruitment. Simple in concept, but incredibly challenging to implement effectively. United’s squad is quite thin. They had only five outfield players on the bench on Wednesday, and started Hinata Miyazawa, who participated in the Women’s Asian Cup final in Sydney on Saturday, returned to Manchester on Monday, and then faced Bayern just two days later. Skinner had little choice but to select her.

United strengthened their squad with three quality players in January, but they require more proactive recruitment in the summer. Their players are pushing through fatigue, and it is commendable how they continue to compete on two fronts: domestic and European football. However, it seems they are operating at their physical and emotional limits, and for this group to genuinely advance and reach the next level, they need a larger squad with greater quality. The decision-makers must align with Skinner and his players’ ambitions.

Keogh: One clear positive from the defeat was United’s ability to fight back, twice, to challenge Bayern. Conceding just 98 seconds into the match to Pernille Harder could have easily derailed them, but instead, it ignited a response. Even when Bayern regained the lead, United displayed resilience to equalize again, only to be undone late by Momoko Tanikawa’s decisive goal.

This resilience marks a significant advancement from previous seasons, where early setbacks often led to a complete loss of control — most notably in the 6-0 defeat to Chelsea at the end of 2024 in the WSL. However, their lack of depth remains a glaring issue. With only five outfield substitutes available, United simply lacked the resources to alter the game late on, highlighting how early they still are in their development.

Reformed in 2018 and back in the WSL by 2019, they are arguably ahead of where their level of investment might suggest, but that progress can only take them so far. As Tom noted, ongoing investment is crucial. For too long, there have been excuses regarding the inability to match the financial power of clubs like Chelsea and Arsenal. But this is Manchester United. If they are to live up to that name, they must move beyond the false underdog mentality, adequately support the team, and demonstrate they belong at this level. Only then will competing at the highest level become an expectation rather than a goal.

Kirkland: This wasn’t a poor result for United, but they’ll be lamenting the defensive errors that led to three goals conceded. I believe this indicates they need more experience at this level, along with the composure and confidence that accompanies it. Too often at Old Trafford, the occasion appeared to overwhelm them.

Bayern has been performing at this level for a long time, and they understand what it takes to succeed in the UWCL against the best; United are currently on that learning curve. However, this experience will be invaluable, and they can build on it next year, regardless of the outcome in the second leg.