The Women's Champions League made its much-anticipated return this week, highlighting challenges for the English clubs involved. Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City are all looking to make an impact in this season's competition and started their campaigns with varying degrees of success.

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Arsenal and Chelsea both secured three points through narrow home victories, while Manchester City managed to recover from a two-goal deficit to earn a commendable draw against Bayern Munich. However, both Arsenal and Chelsea's performances raised questions about their readiness to compete, especially in the face of dominant displays from last season’s finalists, Barcelona and Lyon, who both won decisively.

Manchester City, coming back to European competition after a strong domestic season, initially struggled against Bayern, falling behind 2-0. However, they demonstrated resilience by equalizing with goals from new signings Beth Mead and Carlotta Wamser, despite Khadija Shaw missing a penalty that could have shifted momentum in their favor.

On the other hand, Arsenal's start to the season has been less impressive, producing only two goals and five points from three matches. Despite their dominant possession against Danish side HB Koge, Arsenal registered just two shots on target and required a last-minute penalty to secure a win. Manager Renee Slegers is under pressure to address these shortcomings, especially as tougher challenges lie ahead.

Chelsea appeared stronger with a notable performance from Wieke Kaptein, whose brilliant goal helped secure victory. New arrivals like Melvine Malard and Alyssa Thompson showcased their potential, yet concerns about midfield control emerged, particularly with key players like Erin Cuthbert injured. Despite the defense only conceding one goal in four matches, their vulnerability could pose risks against more effective opponents.

Meanwhile, Barcelona and Lyon established themselves as the teams to beat this season. Lyon decimated Servette 8-0, with Marie-Antoinette Katoto scoring a hat-trick. Barcelona, after initially trailing to Paris FC, rallied to a 5-2 victory, highlighting the formidable challenge they pose to their competitors.

The upcoming matches will further test the capabilities of Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City as they aim to compete with Europe’s elite.