Chelsea's campaign got off to an underwhelming start when they drew 1-1 with FC Twente in October, but since then they have looked impressive, scored bucketloads of goals, and remained unbeaten.
They finished third in the table with four wins from six, scoring 20 goals and conceding just three - only Barcelona matched their goal difference.
Sonia Bompastor's side have had their fair share of European heartbreak, often at the hands of three-time champions Barcelona, who beat them 8-2 on aggregate in last season's semi-finals.
Yet the Blues were the only team to take points off Barcelona in this year's league phase, securing a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge in November.
That put them in a strong position to secure a top-four automatic qualification spot and they pounced on the opportunity, with a ruthless 6-0 win over St Polten followed by Wednesday's massive win at Wolfsburg.
Chelsea will face either Manchester United or Arsenal in the quarter-finals should their English rivals both win their two-legged play-offs.
They cannot meet Barcelona or eight-time winners Lyon until at least the semi-finals.
As well as their strong results, Chelsea have been boosted by the return of injured players, most notably forwards Sam Kerr and Lauren James.
With number one goalkeeper Hannah Hampton also set to return following the winter break, Bompastor's squad are well placed to chase an elusive European title.