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WCL updates from Meadow Park; kick-off 8pm GMT
Arsenal’s defence of the Champions League hasn’t been going to plan. Renée Slegers’s side have lost two out of their three matches so far in the league phase: a 2-1 home reverse to Lyon in matchday one, followed by a staggering collapse at Bayern Munich in matchday three last week. Those losses sandwich a win at Benfica that’s kept the show on the road, and with positions 5 to 12 securing progression to the play-offs, there’s no need to be hammering away on panic buttons just yet. But a top-four place and its concomitant guarantee of a quarter-final berth may soon become a pipe dream if Arsenal don’t get a wriggle on. They could do with a big result tonight.
They may be secretly pleased to see Real Madrid roll into town. Arsenal’s glorious Alessia Russo-inspired comeback in the second leg of last season’s quarter-final was perhaps the signature moment of their run to glory, and that 3-0 win will surely give them great belief going into this game. On the other hand, they did lose the first leg 2-0, getting themselves into enough trouble where an all-timer of a comeback was required. So it’s swings and roundabouts, and nobody will be taking too much for granted.
Continue reading…WCL updates from Meadow Park; kick-off 8pm GMTScores | Table | Read Moving the Goalposts | Mail ScottArsenal’s defence of the Champions League hasn’t been going to plan. Renée Slegers’s side have lost two out of their three matches so far in the league phase: a 2-1 home reverse to Lyon in matchday one, followed by a staggering collapse at Bayern Munich in matchday three last week. Those losses sandwich a win at Benfica that’s kept the show on the road, and with positions 5 to 12 securing progression to the play-offs, there’s no need to be hammering away on panic buttons just yet. But a top-four place and its concomitant guarantee of a quarter-final berth may soon become a pipe dream if Arsenal don’t get a wriggle on. They could do with a big result tonight.They may be secretly pleased to see Real Madrid roll into town. Arsenal’s glorious Alessia Russo-inspired comeback in the second leg of last season’s quarter-final was perhaps the signature moment of their run to glory, and that 3-0 win will surely give them great belief going into this game. On the other hand, they did lose the first leg 2-0, getting themselves into enough trouble where an all-timer of a comeback was required. So it’s swings and roundabouts, and nobody will be taking too much for granted. Continue reading…
