VfL Wolfsburg Women's Team Eliminated from Champions League After Penalty Shootout Loss to Inter Milan

The VfL Wolfsburg women's football team has been ousted from the 2026/2027 UEFA Champions League qualification phase following a dramatic and heart-wrenching penalty shootout defeat against Inter Milan. Despite holding a 2-0 lead from the first leg, Wolfsburg suffered a 3-1 loss in the second leg on September 2, 2026, forcing the tie into extra time and ultimately penalties.

Inter Milan’s Elisa Bartoli and Elisa Polli scored in the second leg to even the aggregate, while Weronika Arasniewicz briefly kept Wolfsburg’s hopes alive with an equalizing goal during extra time. However, a late goal from Marija Milinkovic sent the match to penalties. Both teams converted their first four attempts, but Wolfsburg’s newcomer Mara Alber missed the crucial fifth spot-kick, allowing Ivana Andres to seal Inter Milan's historic first qualification to the Champions League group stage.

Following their Champions League exit, Wolfsburg will compete in the second-tier Europa Cup alongside Eintracht Frankfurt, who were eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain after a 1-5 loss in extra time. This development leaves FC Bayern as the only remaining German women's team in the Champions League group stage.

Wolfsburg’s coach Stephan Lerch voiced his profound disappointment, stating, "Now everything feels very empty. It’s, of course, very disappointing. We are all just brutally disappointed." Mara Alber was visibly affected by her missed penalty, reportedly moved to tears. Meanwhile, the German captain for Inter Milan, Lina Magull, played a significant role by providing an assist and scoring the opening penalty for Inter.

This outcome marks a stark blow to German women’s football, especially for a club like Wolfsburg that has twice previously claimed the Champions League title. The setbacks for both Wolfsburg and Frankfurt highlight the increasingly competitive nature of women's football in Europe and the challenges German clubs face in maintaining continental dominance.