Women. Their soccer that is.

So this year the Women's version of the UEFA Champions League looks pretty good. The holders 1.FFC Turbine Potsdam of Germany destroyed their opposition last year netting 31 goals and allowing 0, they look like they could repeat that form this year. Also, history is on their side as they have reached 3 finals the 4 times they have tried, winning 2 of them. Their superior striker Anja Mittag looks great this season and she has a capable strike partner in Fatmire Bajramaj. Arsenal LFC are another good team, having reached the Quarter-finals in all of their 8 attempts. They have reigned in England for the past 7 seasons and while some of their talent (Kelly Smith, Karen Carney) have come to the United States, they have signed new players to make up the difference. Players worth watching are striker Kim Little and Midfielder Katie Chapman. Arsenal will hope to triumph once more as they did in 2007, and who is to say they won't? Another team from England, Everton, will  be taking part in the Quarter-finals for the first time. They did so this year with a spectacular victory in Denmark against the women's team of Brøndby IF, 4-1, 5-2 on aggregate. They also beat Arsenal LFC 3-2 in the FA Women's Cup final, illustrating their pedigree. The Everton side have a nice mix of rising talent and veteran internationals including midfielders Fara Williams and Jill Scott. From across the Channel in France meanwhile, FCF Juvisy-Essonne will act as representatives to the Quarter-finals for the first time in their history. They were runner's-up in France last season and beat Italy's Torres to make it this far. They have a defender, Sandrine Soubeyrand, who is the player who has played the most games for France for either gender. Also, Juvisy did well to beat PSG FC in the Feminine Division 1 last season so their prospects aren't dismal. Forward Laëtitia Tonazzi is another player who serves the side well. FCR 2001 Duisburg, another team from Germany, lost their 2009 title last year to Potsdam in the Semi-finals. Thus far they have won all 7 of their matches this year however they lost the German title to Potsdam so I could see some retribution coming into play should the teams meet again. Duisburg's go-to player, Inka Grings, is leading scorer of the competition and the team performed very well against Fortuna Hjørring, winning 7-2 despite key German international absences. Simone Laudehr, a midfielder, is another important player to the Duisburg team. The one Swedish representative, Linköpings FC, are acting as representatives to the Quarter-finals for the first time as well. Sweden's 2-time European champions  Umeå Ik have already been ousted so the Linköpings newcomers are the only representatives from the Norse powerhouse. Forward Kosovare Asllani is possibly the greatest asset to the team, as is their goalkeeper Sofia Lundgren. The team as a whole isn't quite as star-studded as the competition's but they may go some way on grit alone. The last team from France, who lost on penalties to Potsdam last year, is Olympique Lyonnais. Lyon have reached the Semi-finals the past 2 times of trying and are now well established in European competition. Lyon have improved due to an infusion of both domestic and international talent, such as a contingent from Northern Europe. Lyon are looking quite powerful though, as they defeated good sides AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands and FC Rossiyanka from Russia 10-1 and 11-1 respectively. Swedish forward Lotta Schelin and midfielder Louisa Nécib of France provide alot of the creative energy of the side. Finally, the single team from Russia, Zvezda-2005, may not have as much confidence as they did when they were runner's-up in 2009, having finished well behind FC Rossiyanka in the Russian league. Nonetheless, results have been going their way recently and with midfielders Daryna Apanaschenko and Vira Dyatel providing energy and chances, anything could happen.