UEFA Women's Champions League playoffs: Arsenal peaking at right time; Man United destroy Atletico Madrid

Arsenal looks primed for another run, while Real Madrid hang on to first-leg victory

UEFA Women's Champions League returned to action with the knockout phase playoffs, and the first-leg fixtures delivered decisive results but also left the door open for others. Defending champions Arsenal traveled to Belgium to face tournament underdog favorite OH Leuven and defeated the home side, 4-0, in a ruthless display of their recent top form. Real Madrid visited Paris FC and weathered the storm in the French capital with a 3-2 come-from-behind victory. 

Wolfsburg and Juventus offered a captivating look at how anything can happen in the Champions League. Juventus, led twice, only to let victory slip in the final minutes of stoppage time, and settled for a 2-2 draw. Meanwhile, Man United cruised to a convincing 3-0 win at Atletico Madrid.

Here are some takeaways from the first-leg matches:

The Gunners might be fourth on the table domestically and now contending for a spot in the UWCL quarterfinals, but they're looking like the team that no one wants to face right now. 

For Arsenal, their 4-0 win against OH Leuven was a performance that reminded everyone that they're returning to form at the perfect moment. Despite an inconsistent league phase that kept them out of the top-four quarterfinal spots, the group also picked up a fourth consecutive clean sheet. It shows off a run of defensive prowess and clinical attacking that all but implies the title holders are peaking at the right time.