Key events
14 min: After the criticism for the League Cup final pitch, this pitch at Real Madrid is only going to amplify the discussion. I can’t say Real Madrid’s men’s team would play on a pitch of this condition for a Champions League quarter-final.
12 min: The caginess of this first leg continues with Arsenal struggling to get out of their own half. The only tactic they can deploy is a long ball to try and find Blackstenius but Real Madrid are becoming wise to it.
10 min: There is no flow, no pun intended with this watery pitch, to this game so far. Real Madrid have threaded a few plays together but it is very stop, start.
8 min: A lot of battles taking place across the pitch at the moment but Arsenal are yet to really stamp any authority on the match. It has been all Real Madrid.
6 min: Kim Little gives Blackstenius an amazing ball through but Maelle Lakrar puts in a perfectly timed challenge to quash the chance. Gordon has got in touch and said:
Arsenal Women have selected a very attack-minded starting XI, surprising to me that Walti is only on the bench. Real will want to attack, so could be a few goals this evening in the wet conditions.
The tactics may be to deploy more attacking players the longer the game goes on. Lia Walti is not a bad player to enter the game in the second half when other players may be tiring.
4 min: Emily Fox clears a dangerous ball in the area, the Gunner has a tricky job this evening going up against Linda Caicedo but she is doing well so far.
3 min: I am not going to lie, the pitch looks pretty bad. It is so muddy and the continual rain won’t be helping. Players have already started to slip over.
2 min: Both teams are just finding their feet in the early stages of this one but a ball is popped through for Stina Blackstenius, she can’t latch onto it and so Real Madrid can clear.
Kick-off: Real Madrid 0-0 Arsenal
Here we go then. Who will get the upper hand in this tie? All the action to come. It is also still raining in Madrid, a soggy one out there.
It has been raining quite heavily in Madrid today and journalists on the ground in Spain say the pitch is not in the best condition. Hopefully it doesn’t affect play too much.
There is just over ten minutes to go until the first leg of this quarter-final, how are the nerves out there? It should be an absolute cracker of a game.
I would love to hear from you and hear your thoughts on what your club winning the Champions League would mean to you. Would it top any other day of your life? Would you cancel plans to go to the final? Let me know all the details by email.
Arsenal are still the only English club to have won the Women’s Champions League, can they keep that record going this year? Chelsea and Manchester City are still also in the competition. The two sides will play each other in the quarter-finals, the first leg being played tomorrow.
Defending champions Barcelona will take on Wolfsburg in their first leg of the quarter-finals tomorrow night. Star forward Ewa Pajor spoke to Alex Ibaceta before the match, you can read the interview:
Tom Garry
After a three-month wait for restless fans since the conclusion of the group stage, Europe’s top clubs finally return to continental action this week as the Women’s Champions League quarter-finals get under way. The main question on everybody’s mind between now and the final in Lisbon on 24 May is: can anybody stop Barcelona?
Read the full piece:
The team news is here.
Real Madrid: Misa, Shei, Lakrar, M Mendez, Carmona, Toletti, Leupolz, Weir, Angeldahl, Caicedo, Bruun.
Subs: Laia, Sofia, Antonia, Redondo, Yasmin, Moller, Carmacho, Navarro, Feller, Del Castillo, Noe, Irune
Meanwhile, for Arsenal, Manuela Zinsberger is between the sticks as Daphne van Domselaar did not travel with the team.
Arsenal: Zinsberger, Fox, Williamson, Catley, Mariona, Mead, Little (C), McCabe, Russo, Blackstenius, Cooney-Cross
Subs: Williams, Codina, Ilestedt, Nighswonger, Reid, Walti, Pelova, Maanum, Kelly, Foord, Kafaji, Hurtig
Preamble
Good afternoon and welcome to Real Madrid v Arsenal in the Women’s Champions League. The Gunners will be favourites to progress to the semi-finals but Real Madrid have an abundance of stars to put a cat among the pigeons.
The most notable big game player in Real Madrid’s squad is Caroline Weir. She has turned up just when her current and previous club’s have needed her in crunch moments. They will be depending on her to come through once again today.
While Arsenal have experienced a great run of form since manager Renee Slegers came into the job last October. They topped their group with the final group game seeing them defeat Bayern Munich. The Women’s Champions League and Women’s Super League are the only two bits of silverware available to the Gunners this season and so there will be even more onus on this two-leg tie.
The team news will be announced shortly so stay tuned for all the updates before kick-off at 5.45pm GMT.