Nigerian players were heavily involved in Matchday 5 of the 2025/26 UWCL (UEFA Women’s Champions League), but the night ultimately confirmed a painful reality: elimination.
For AS Roma, Benfica, and Paris Saint-Germain Féminine, heavy defeats in Gameweek 5 mathematically ended their hopes of progressing under the competition’s new league-phase format. It marked a frustrating conclusion to a challenging European campaign for several Super Falcons stars who had hoped to make deep runs on the continent.
Among them was Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade, who joined PSG Féminine with ambitions of competing for the Champions League crown, dreams that were cut short far earlier than expected.
How the New UWCL Format Sealed Their Fate
The 2025/26 season is the first under UEFA’s revamped Women’s Champions League structure. According to UEFA:
“The top four sides in the league phase qualify automatically for the quarter-finals, while teams finishing 5th to 12th enter a two-legged knockout play-off for the remaining quarter-final places. Teams ranked 13th to 18th are eliminated.”
With PSG, Roma, and Benfica all sitting outside the top 12 after Matchday 5, their exits were confirmed with one round still to play.
PSG’s European Campaign Ends in Disappointment
Paris Saint-Germain Féminine endured a disastrous European campaign, finishing 16th with just one point from five matches.
Their only positive result came in a 0–0 draw against OH Leuven at the Parc des Princes, where Jennifer Echegini completed the full 90 minutes on Matchday 5. Beyond that, PSG struggled badly, suffering defeats to Wolfsburg, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona.
Injuries compounded their problems, with Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade sidelined after picking up a knock against Bayern Munich. The winger missed three consecutive matches, ruling her out of the decisive stretch of the competition and dealing a major blow to PSG’s attacking threat.
Oladipo and Babajide’s Roma Thrashed at Stamford Bridge
Shukurat Oladipo and Rinsola Babajide both started as AS Roma were ruthlessly dismantled 6–0 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, a result that officially ended the Italian side’s European journey.
Roma’s night unravelled early when Valentina Bergamaschi turned the ball into her own net in the 13th minute. Chelsea seized control immediately, adding two more goals before halftime to take a commanding 3–0 lead.
The Blues showed no mercy after the break, scoring three further goals to complete a dominant performance and confirm Roma’s elimination.
It capped a miserable league-phase campaign for Roma, who also lost heavily to Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Vålerenga, collecting just one point from a draw against OH Leuven on Matchday 4. They sit 17th, having scored only three goals while conceding 18, and will now play St. Pölten in their final match with pride the only thing left to fight for.
Ucheibe’s Misfortune as Benfica Fall to Barcelona
In Spain, Christy Ucheibe featured for Benfica as the Portuguese champions fell 3–1 to Barcelona, a defeat that sealed their elimination.
The Super Falcons midfielder, deployed in defence, endured an unfortunate second-half moment when she scored an own goal to restore Barcelona’s lead after Chandra Davidson had cancelled out Ewa Pajor’s opener.
Barcelona captain Alexia Putellas later added a third, although she missed a penalty that could have widened the margin further.
Benfica remain on just one point and sit 15th in the standings. Ucheibe will, however, get one final opportunity to close the campaign on a positive note when Benfica faces PSG in their final fixture, a clash that will see her come up against national teammate Jennifer Echegini.
What Next for Nigeria’s European Contingent?
The elimination of PSG, Roma, and Benfica represents a disappointing end to this season’s UWCL campaign for Nigerian players involved in the competition.
With European ambitions cut short, attention now shifts back to domestic leagues, where these Super Falcons stars will look to regain rhythm, confidence, and form ahead of future continental and international challenges.
