Preview: Chelsea Women vs Austria Wien W - prediction, team news, lineups

Chelsea Women will kick off the Women's Champions League league phase with a home clash against Austria Wien W.

The Women's Super League side are appearing in the main draw for a seventh consecutive season, while Austria Wien are making their debut in the UWCL league phase.

Match preview

Chelsea experienced an underwhelming 2025-26 campaign that saw them lift just one of the trophies on offer, the final edition of the League Cup that features the European sides.

The Blues lost their six-year grip on the Women's Super League title, fell at the semi-final stage of the FA Cup and lost to Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the UWCL.

The UWCL trophy is the one they want above all the others, considering they are yet to get their hands on it and have not made it to the final since losing 4-0 to Barcelona in the 2020-21 edition.

Sonia Bompastor's side started their latest European journey with a 6-2 aggregate win over Real Sociedad in the playoff round, which secured their spot in the league phase where they will face Austria Wien, OL Lyonnes, Roma, Hacken, Paris Saint-Germain and Leuven.

Chelsea have gone to take seven points from their opening three WSL matches, including a 2-0 victory in Saturday's home clash against Birmingham City, thanks to goals from Lexi Potter and Melvine Malard.

They will be heavy favourites to take maximum points from Wednesday's European fixture, especially as they have won four of their last five European home matches, scoring a minimum of four goals in three of those victories.

Austria Wien claimed their first Frauen Bundesliga title last term after finishing two points clear of St Polten.

Stefan Kenesei's side also beat Red Bull Salzburg 1-0 in the OFB Frauen Cup to win the domestic cup competition for the first time in the club's history.

Austria Wien are now set to achieve more history by making their first appearance in the UWCL main draw after successfully negotiating the qualifying rounds.

After coming through single-leg ties against Hajduk Split and Farul Constanta, Austria Wien fell to a 2-1 away defeat against Brann in the first leg of the third qualifying round.

They quickly put that result behind them as Modesta Uka inspired a dramatic turnaround in the home leg, netting a hat-trick to fire her side to a 4-0 victory.

The Austrian side have followed that impressive record with two further clean sheets in league wins against Sudburgenland and Kleinmunchen, although they will be fully aware that their backline will come under much greater pressure in Wednesday's clash against one of the biggest teams in the UWCL.

Chelsea Women Women's Champions League form:

Chelsea Women form (all competitions):

Austria Wien W Women's Champions League form:

Austria Wien W form (all competitions):

Team News

Chelsea remain without the services of Erin Cuthbert, Mayra Ramirez and summer signing Manaka Matsukubo, the latter of whom is still waiting to make her debut for the club.

The attacking duo of Lauren James and Aggie Beever-Jones are both injury doubts after missing the win over Birmingham at the weekend.

Katie McCabe and Melvine Malard are options to start if Bompastor opts to freshen up the starting lineup.

As for the visitors, they are likely to line up with a back three made up of Carina Wenninger, Katharina Schiechtl and Virginia Kirchberger.

Louis Schoffel, who recently signed an extension until 2029, is pushing to start at right wing-back, while Valentina Potzl is set to feature on the opposite flank.

Modesta Uka and Patricia Pfanner should get the nod if Stefan Kenesei opts to play with a front two, having scored 16 goals between them in all competitions this term.

Chelsea Women possible starting lineup:

Hampton; Bronze, Buurman, McCabe; Carpenter, Nusken, Walsh, Potter, Nusken; Thompson, Malard, Kaptein

Austria Wien W possible starting lineup:

Pal; Wenninger, Schiechtl, Kirchberger; Schoffel, Pfattner, Weiss, Cordes, Potzl; Pfanner, Uka

We say: Chelsea Women 3-0 Austria Wien W

Austria Wien may have negotiated UWCL qualifying, but the difficulty level will increase significantly in Wednesday's league phase clash with Chelsea.

The Blues are full of confidence after two victories, and we think they will showcase their extra quality to cruise to a commanding win.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.