Happy Monday, TWG readers! 

This week in Vermont has been a true winter experience… we’re finally getting the snow that everyone associates with living here. And I feel like I’m taking steps to ensure that I look more and more like I belong. I just bought Nano Spikes, also known as crampons or traction cleats, and officially have made them my entire personality. Basically they’re like these slip-on things that you put on the bottom of your shoes so you don’t slip. Pat and I walked a 5K on Saturday and the spikes were a game changer. Trust me on this one, if you live in a place where it snows and you like walking outside, you need to get some!

Last week was a huge week for TWG, as Good Vibes returned for a really fun episode with both Becky and Lynn. If you haven’t listened yet, catch up quick as we’re already back tomorrow with Lynn. We’re also dropping a Friendlies episode with Sofia Huerta on Thursday and preparing for a Sammy Banana Phone SheBelieves Cup preview… so get your questions ready and give me a call at 855-611-4050.

I can’t wait to hear from you all! Thanks so much for being here.

Love,
Sam

UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) Quarterfinal Matchups Set 🏆

Friday in Switzerland, the 2025 UWCL quarterfinal matchups were drawn. Four seismic ties are set to take place from March 18-27. The eight remaining contenders include three English clubs, two Spanish clubs, two German clubs, and one French club. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇪🇸🇩🇪🇫🇷

Here’s what’s in store: 

• England’s undefeated first-place WSL club, Chelsea, play fellow English side Manchester City in the next round. With this matchup, Chelsea and City are set to play each other four times in the space of two weeks. 😅🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 U.S. center back Naomi Girma, who recently broke the world transfer record when she signed with the Blues, will be eligible to play alongside U.S. teammate Catarina Macario (with U.S. forward Mia Fishel working back from injury) as Chelsea seek their first UWCL title.

• Eight-time UWCL Champions, Lyon, face German side Bayern Munich. Lyon are chasing their ninth title with two Americans in their roster: U.S. captain Lindsey Horan (who won the 2021/22 UWCL trophy with Lyon) and right-back Sofia Huerta. 🇫🇷🇩🇪

• Arsenal (who went 13-games unbeaten across all competitions before losing to Chelsea in January) play Liga F’s second-place team, Real Madrid. Arsenal right-back and U.S. gold-medalist Emily Fox will be joined by her Olympic teammate in the next round, as Jenna Nighswonger joins the Gunners from Gotham. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇪🇸

• The reigning champions, Barcelona, are set to play Germany’s two-time UWCL Champions, Wolfsburg. This tie is a rematch of the 2022/23 UWCL Final, which Barça won 3-2. 🇪🇸🇩🇪

Road to Lisbon: Winners of this round move on to the semifinal, which takes place April 19-27. The winner of Chelsea vs. Manchester City faces the winner of Barcelona vs. Wolfsburg. The winner of Lyon vs. Bayern Munich plays the winner of Arsenal vs. Real Madrid. The 2025 UWCL Final then takes place on May 24 at the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon.

More: Women’s Champions League Draw: the Chelsea vs. Man City show

And this: Women’s Champions League predictions after quarter-final draw

🥤 Olipop power everything we do here at The Women’s Game. You can use code TWG20 for 20% off your first order at drinkolipop.com/TWG20.

Elsewhere in England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

England’s top-flight Women’s Super League (WSL) took a break this weekend, as cup games dominate the schedule:

The League Cup Final is set 

Chelsea beat West Ham 2-0 to progress to their sixth League Cup Final. 27-year-old Swedish midfielder Johanna Rytting Kaneryd made the first goal look easy. Australian striker Mary Fowler’s brace of goals (including this stunning strike) helped Manchester City to a 2-1 win over Arsenal to book their spot in this year’s final.

More: Sam breaks down all the leagues, cups, and tournaments WSL teams are playing in, so you don’t have to.

FA Cup Fifth Round sets up 2025 quarter-final

Seven top-flight WSL sides, and one WSL 2 side in Sunderland A.F.C. Women, are moving on to the FA Cup quarter-final.

• U.S. Olympian Jenna Nighswonger made her debut with a start in the midfield for the Gunners in Arsenal’s 2-0 win against London City Lionesses. Although Nighswonger was used as a full-back for Gotham, she can play many positions. Arsenal boss Renée Slegers spoke about starting her in the midfield: “... She’s been in midfield before, but moved to the full-back position two years ago. So we asked something of her today which is quite hard.”

• 2023 NWSL MVP and Brazil midfielder Kerolin scored her first-ever goal as a Manchester City player in City’s 3-1 win against Leicester City. Jamaican striker Khadija “Bunny” Shaw also scored in her return to the pitch for City, after taking a break following abuse online. 

The draw for the quarter-final takes place this Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 1:30 p.m. EST, which you can stream live on YouTube. 

More: Chelsea’s newly-signed defender, Naomi Girma, was spotted in the stands at Kingsmeadow alongside right-back Lucy Bronze and former Blues icon Fran Kirby.

Also: Arsenal risk being left behind as transfer failings widen gap with Chelsea.

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European Roundup 🌍

• Coupe de France Féminine Quarter Final: There was no debut for newly signed USWNT star Crystal Dunn in PSG’s 4-0 win against Le Mans. But U.S. midfielder Korbin Albert scored in the victory, which was her third in the Coupe de France this season, before hitting the bow and arrow celly. ⚽⚽⚽ After a spate of Sunday victories, Paris FC, Le Havre, and Saint-Étienne are set to join PSG in the next round. 🇫🇷

• Eintracht Frankfurt kept their hold on first place of the Frauen-Bundesliga with a 9–0 win against Potsdam. But Bayern Munich are just behind them: the two clubs are tied on 35 points after Bayern’s 3-1 win against Hoffenheim. 🇩🇪

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News and Notes 📰🗞️

• NWSL has announced a $5 million settlement fund for players that were victims of abuse. Listen to Sam’s take here. 

• Luis Rubiales is on trial in Spain for his unwanted kiss on Jenni Hermoso after the 2023 World Cup Final. Hermoso’s teammates testified in court regarding her distress following the incident, with Hermoso herself claiming that the experience tarnished her team’s World Cup win. 

• Emma Hayes will confirm her squad for the 2025 SheBelieves Cup tomorrow, Feb. 11. This roster will feature in the team's first competitive games of the year, as they're set to play Colombia, Japan, and Australia in the tournament's 10th edition.

• Former England captain and first-ever coach of the San Diego Wave, Casey Stoney, named her first roster as new manager of Canada’s National Team. Canada will play China PR, Chinese Taipei, and Mexico in the Pinatar Cup, which takes place in Spain from Feb. 19-25. Sam also talked with Casey on this week’s podcast, which you can watch here. 

• Amid a renewed focus on training facilities and stadiums focused on women’s athletes, Portland has unveiled a $150 million dollar training facility in partnership with Portland’s new WNBA franchise. 

• NWSL is launching a new docuseries with Prime Video, filmed at the close of last year and telling the story of a historic 2024 season. For the Win: NWSL follows players like now-retired Alex Morgan, Brazilian legend Marta, and young U.S. stars Trinity Rodman and Croix Bethune in last season’s playoffs.

Parting Shots 🥃

“I love that it’s a center back that broke this record.” 

— Olympian, World Cup champion, NWSL champion, Good Vibes FC co-host, and beloved USWNT veteran center back, Becky Sauerbrunn, weighed in on Naomi Girma’s record-breaking $1.1 million transfer to Chelsea.

More: Girma wasn’t the only defender to draw a big transfer fee this winter. Brazil center back and Olympic silver medalist Tarcianne moved from the Houston Dash to Lyon for $960,000.

Good Reads 📚

• From Rich Laverty in The Guardian, ‘Meet Club YLA— the Club Brugge women’s team doing things differently’

• From Craig Williams for Yahoo, ‘Support for women’s football in Scotland booming’

• From Courtney Hill for Olympics.com, ‘Who will be Emma Hayes’ next No. 1 goalkeeper?’

Moment of Joy 🤸

February 5th marked National Women and Girls in Sports Day and to celebrate we just needed everyone to see these photos of our Good Vibes FC gals in their prime:

📝 Want to be featured in next week’s TWG newsletter? Send Sam an email! All your questions, comments, and dog (or wedding) photos can be sent to [email protected].