With all the major leagues - save for the NWSL - up and running, it's set to be another busy week ahead for fans of women's football.
Here is all you need to know ahead of another week of women's football.
What to watch in women's football: January 26th to January 28th
Frauen-Bundesliga
Things are starting to get very interesting in Germany. At the moment, Wolfsburg have moved into top spot ahead of the league resuming action this weekend. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich were held to a surprise 1-1 draw against Nurnberg in their final game of 2023, but die Roten could reclaim top spot in the table if they can beat Hoffenheim in their match on Saturday. Meanwhile, Wolfsburg, who are leading the table by just one point, will naturally aim to ensure they pick up all three points in their away game against Essen on Monday.
Women's Super League
Chelsea's win over Manchester United last weekend looks to have dealt a massive blow the Red Devils' hopes of battling for the league title, but there are still two teams in contention to challenge the Blues for the Women's Super League title this season. The Blues currently have a three point lead over the rest of the table and could extend that to six when they travel to face Brighton on Saturday. Meanwhile, Manchester City, who sit in second spot will look to keep up the pressure on the league leaders at the expense of a Tottenham side who have found some form as of late.
Elsewhere, Manchester United will aim to pick themselves up after a disappointing result last round and avoid losing a third consecutive league game when Aston Villa come to town on Sunday. And finally, Arsenal, who are in third spot, will need to secure all three points against Liverpool if they want to keep both Chelsea and Manchester City in their sights as the Gunners aim to remain in the title race.
Liga F
Over in Spain, Barcelona continue to lead the way thanks to their perfect start to the season. The Blaugrana continue to maintain a nine point lead over the rest of the field and will certainly look to make it 14 wins out of 14 Liga F games when they travel to face Real Betis on Sunday.
While the title race looks pretty much decided, that certainly will not prevent Levante and Real Madrid from trying to close the gap. Both teams are on 30 points, which puts them nine behind Barcelona, and could narrow the gap to six if they win their games against Granada and Athletic Bilbao respectively.
Top news in women's football
Portland Thorns set to make record bid to sign Chelsea star
Although it's still a few months to go until the start of the 2024 NWSL season, one team is really keen on bolstering their squad as they hope to compete for titles in the upcoming campaign.
According to multiple reports, the Portland Thorns, who recently made waves due to their change in ownership, are set to break a league record in their signing of Chelsea's Jessie Fleming. The 25-year-old Canadian international has spent the last four seasons with the Blues, where she has made over 100 appearances and has won several titles, including three WSL trophies and three FA Cups.
Fleming, who usually plays as a midfielder but has also been deployed on the wing, is the subject of a record-breaking bid worth approximately $315,000 to prise her away from the WSL champions. She is expected to slot right into the starting XI as the Thorns, who finished in second place in the NWSL last season, look to find a solid option to replace 31-year-old American international Crystal Dunn, who left on a free transfer at the end of 2023.
Lauren James achieves impressive feat to in Chelsea's win over Manchester United
Chelsea gave their fans plenty to smile about last weekend, as the Blues cruised to a 3-1 win over Manchester United to maintain their narrow lead at the top of the table.
Lauren James was arguably the standout performer for Emma Hayes's team. The English international netted a a hat-trick - her second of this season - to fire her team to all three points. That brings her to ten goals in 10 WSL appearances, and in doing so, has helped her to achieve a pretty impressive feat.
Notably, her hat-trick, especially against Manchester United, is something that no player in the WSL had done before. In addition, she is also among the most prolific players when it comes to goals scored at Stamford Bridge (and that even includes the men's team).
Chelsea, who are the reigning WSL champions, will be hoping to successfully continue in their quest to retain their title as they travel to take on Brighton on Saturday.
Roma's perfect season comes to an end following surprise loss
The Giallorosse were hoping to have a perfect Serie A campaign as they aim to retain their Scudetto crown, but that all came to an abrupt end last round. The league leaders were beaten 2-0 by Inter, meaning that their 100 percent winning record has now ended, and that result certainly has given hope to other teams such as Juventus and Fiorentina as the title race has taken an interesting twist.
Roma are expected to bounce back in their upcoming Serie A game against Sampdoria, and could reestablish their six point lead over the chasing pack with a win there. However, both Juventus and Fiorentina surely will be keeping their eyes on the league leaders' performance in that game ahead of their own intriguing showdown on Monday.
The weekend was surely an action-packed one, but there is still plenty of more football to keep fans entertained over the upcoming week.
Here is what you'll need to know in the world of women's football heading into the next few days.
What to watch in women's football: January 29th to February 1st
Serie A (women)
The latest round of Serie A ends with an exciting fixture, as Juventus, who sit in second on 33 points, take on Fiorentina, who are in third and have earned 31 points. Both teams were given a glimmer of hope following Roma's 2-0 loss to Inter which has seemingly changed the landscape in the Scudetto race.
UEFA Women's Champions League
The final group stage games will be taking place this week. While some groups have already been decided, others have not. Group C, which features PSG, Bayern Munich, Roma, and Ajax arguably is the one to watch as all four teams are still in contention to qualify for the next round, so fans will be in for a real treat as Bayern Munich (third, six points) take on PSG (first, nine points) at the same time as Ajax (second, seven points) are locking horns with Roma (last, five points). Both games will be played at the same time on January 30th.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Paris and Swedish side BK Häcken are still in contention to join Chelsea in the next stages. Paris, who are in third, will need to ensure they beat the Blues to secure their place, while BK Häcken will be looking to do likewise against an already-eliminated Real Madrid.
The state of play: What's the situation of the 16 teams featuring in the 2023-24 UEFA Women's Champions League
Who's qualified for the next round in the UWCL?
So far, Barcelona, Benfica, Lyon, Brann, and Chelsea have already secured their spots in the quarter-finals.
Who's been eliminated from the UWCL?
Real Madrid, Rosengård, Eintracht Frankfurt, St. Pölten, and Slavia Prague have been already eliminated from the UEFA Women's Champions League.
Which teams can still qualify for the next round in the UWCL?
Roma, Bayern Munich, PSG, Paris, Ajax, and BK Häcken are still in contention to qualify for the next round in the 2023/24 UEFA Women's Champions League.
Didn't find your favorite women's league on this list? No worries, as this is just a highlight of some of the exciting games coming up this week. Make sure to check out our special Women's Football Page here at LiveSoccerTV.com for full broadcast info, match updates, news, and more.
