Gareth Taylor’s Blues secured passage into the competition proper for the first time since 2020/21 thanks to an emphatic 8-0 aggregate win over Paris FC in Round Two qualifying.
And our reward is an opener against FC Barcelona who have won the competition in the last two seasons, courtesy of victories over Lyon and Wolfsburg in consecutive finals - and three triumphs in the last four as well as making it to the showpiece in the past four campaigns.
The Matchday One clash in Group D, which will also see the return of Keira Walsh and Ellie Roebuck, takes place on Wednesday 9 October with a 20:00 (UK) kick-off.
The last time we faced FC Barcelona here in Manchester we picked up a 2-1 win, courtesy of goals from Janine Beckie and Sam Mewis, the result handing them just their second loss over 90 minutes in the 2020/21 campaign.
We take on Pere Romeu’s Liga F team in the final game, too, Matchday Six, on Wednesday 18 December with a 17:45 (UK) kick-off.
In between times, we face home and away clashes against St Polten and Hammarby IF on our return to Europe’s elite competition.
First, on Matchday Two, City travel to Austria for an away clash with St Polten on Wednesday 16 October with a 17:45 (UK) start.
Then on Matchday Three, we host Swedish side Hammarby on Tuesday 12 November, with a 20:00 (UK) start before facing them again on Matchday Four, the Thursday 21 November encounter on away soil kicking off at 17:45 (UK).
These ties see a reunion with former Blue, Julie Blakstad, who represented City from 2022 to 2024.
Our penultimate clash, on Thursday 12 December, sees us host St Polten on Matchday Five, the match getting underway at 20:00 (UK).
Ticket details will be released in due course.
Stay tuned to mancity.com and our official app for more as we get it.
