The Women’s Champions League returned this week and with it came a host of unanswered questions for the ambitious English trio involved.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City all have designs on winning the competition and, on the face of it, got their campaigns off to solid starts.

Arsenal and Chelsea both have three points after narrow home wins while City recovered from 2-0 down for a creditable draw at heavyweights Bayern Munich.

But scratch deeper, and this was an unconvincing week, particularly given last season’s finalists Barcelona and Lyon both opened with commanding victories.

Are the Women’s Super League clubs equipped to challenge this season? What still needs addressing? And who has the best chance of lifting the trophy in Warsaw next May?

Last season, Manchester City exploited their absence from European competition to romp to the Women’s Super League title.

In returning to the elite tier this season, their squad will face greater tests, and that was immediately true when 2025-26 semi-finalists Bayern Munich raced into a two-goal lead.

But Andree Jeglertz’s team gave an immediate indication they belong at this level by recovering to draw 2-2, with summer signings Beth Mead and Carlotta Wamser justifying their arrival at the champions with their first goals for the club.

That was crucial given usual goalscorer Khadija Shaw surprisingly proved fallible in missing a penalty.

When she inevitably finds her shooting boots, City should be just fine in this competition.

With only two goals and five points from three matches, it has been an inauspicious start to the season for Arsenal, who have been bullish in targeting trophies.

Up against Danish minnows HB Koge, it was not just the Disney+ TV coverage of the game that was marred by glitches.

Arsenal’s expected goals tally of 1.93 does not tell the story of a performance that was dominant with the ball, but they only fashioned two shots on target against a side they were expected to beat comfortably.

Boss Renee Slegers made a raft of changes, including resting Alessia Russo, but the eight forwards she ultimately featured struggled to breach the resolute visitors’ backline, with the Gunners requiring a 95th-minute penalty to steal the points.

Dismissing lower-ranked teams at the start of competition has been an Achilles’ heel for Arsenal and, while they did win, tougher tests await and Slegers needs to find a solution.

A brilliant goal from Wieke Kaptein handed Chelsea victory on their opening night in what was a promising attacking performance from the Blues.

Summer signing Melvine Malard was bright in her pre-planned 45-minute appearance, while Alyssa Thompson’s electric display showcased what she could offer in her second season at Stamford Bridge.

With Ellie Carpenter playing behind Thompson, Chelsea’s right side could be a potent weapon as they strive to return to the summit of English football – and, in reality, they ought to have added a couple more goals against Austria Vienna.

However, there were concerns for Sonia Bompastor. Shorn of injured captain Erin Cuthbert and with Keira Walsh substituted early, they ceded control in midfield to the Champions League debutants.

Indeed, Vienna came close on a number of occasions to taking a deserved point, hitting the post and having more shots than their esteemed opponents.

Although Chelsea have only conceded one goal in four matches this season, the fragility on display could cost them against more clinical opponents.

As English clubs stuttered through their first games, last season’s finalists Barcelona and Lyon both made a statement.

First to play were the French giants at Servette in Switzerland, where they won 8-0, with Marie-Antoinette Katoto scoring a hat-trick as they racked up 31 shots and hit the woodwork.

They host Chelsea next week.

Holders Barcelona actually went behind at home to Paris FC but swiftly turned the game around and scored four before half-time, ultimately running out 5-2 winners.

Ominous signs from the Champions League favourites.