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10 min: Chance for Blackstenius! Foord is once again Arsenal’s chief threat, and whips a great ball across goal. Blackstenius can only direct her header well over the bar. But that was a great chance. Arsenal are slowly becoming the dominant side here. Jonas Eidevall will be delighted.
8 min: Penalty shout for Arsenal! Foord darts in from the left flank and unleashes a fierce drive towards goal. Viggósdóttir makes the block with her arm and Arsenal’s players appeal for a penalty, but the Icelandic defender is judged to have her arm in a natural position. I’ve seen them given! Remember we do have VAR in this game.
6 min: Arsenal have survived the early onslaught and finally begun to string together a few passes. Little showing a bit of experience to put her foot on the ball and take the sting out of the game.
3 min: What a start from the hosts. Arsenal haven’t had a kick in the opening minutes. Frenetic and frantic stuff, and Martiz concedes a free kick after a clumsy challenge on Schüller.
1 min: Bayern so nearly scored twice in the opening minute. Williamson makes two outstanding blocks to stop two separate attacks, the latter set up by a crunching tackle by Stanway on Wälti in midfield. The Bayern midfielder found Lohmann but the winger couldn’t find a way past Williamson, who got a crucial block in on her own six-yard line.
Peeeeeeeep! We’re off!
Here come the teams! Bayern are donning their black kit, while Arsenal are wearing their home strip, red shirt, white shorts, red socks.
The Allianz Stadium is not quite full, but a great atmosphere in Munich, with England manager Sarina Wiegman among those watching on.
Roma v Barcelona is tonight’s other Champions League’s quarter-final first leg, with Lyon v Chelsea and PSG v Wolfsburg taking place tomorrow.
Just over 10 minutes to go until kick-off. Give the Women’s Football Weekly podcast a listen, if you fancy, particularly the Champions League bit about 30 minutes in.
The first knockout stage of the Champions League used be known as ‘The Round of Arsenal’, with the men’s team famous for their last-16 exits. The women’s side have fallen at the quarter-finals in their last three campaigns, while Bayern reached the last four in 2020-21, beaten by Chelsea 5-3 on aggregate.
The homes side’s form is scary: 12 straight wins in all competitions, but have German internationals Giulia Gwinn and Linda Dallmann absent through injuries.
If you haven’t already read Jonathan Liew’s interview with Georgia Stanway, you can do so here.
Let’s unpack the teams a little. Lea Schüller will lead the line for Bayern, but will be ably supported by Stanway, who is joined in midfield by Sarah Zadrazil and captain Lina Magull.
Arsenal haven’t played a game since a 4-0 win over Reading on 12 March, so are well rested. Leah Williamson played in midfield that day, even bagging herself a goal, but falls back into her more familiar role of centre-back, with Lotte Wubben-Moy dropping to the bench.
Former England striker Jodie Taylor, who signed for Arsenal just four days ago, wasn’t included in the Gunners’ Champions League squad, so isn’t involved.
Team news
Preamble
Oh my. What a first leg we have for you. Two of the world’s finest teams go toe-to-toe at the Allianz Stadium in the Champions League quarter-finals. The first time these two teams have ever met competitively, and there is A LOT at stake.
Arsenal, of course, are the only English side to win the Champions League, waaaaaaaaay back in 2007, but have not reached the last four of the competition in 10 years. But even with the considerable injuries in the squad, namely to Vivianne Miedema (formerly of Bayern) and Beth Mead, they are a formidable team and despite a downturn in league form, comfortably beat WSL leaders Chelsea in the Continental Cup final earlier this month.
Bayern remain one of Europe’s elite, having reached the Champions League quarter-finals six times in the past seven years. Yikes. Summer additions Georgia Stanway and head coach Alexander Straus have bedded in well. Stanway is Bayern’s leading assists maker in the Champions League this season, and the team finished level on points with Barcelona in the group stage, and beat Alexia Putellas and co in December at the Allianz. In fact, the German side are unbeaten in all competitions since November. Eeeesh.
So, quite the match we have. This one could feasibly go either way. One suspects the Gunners would be pleased to just avoid defeat, with the intention of winning the tie in the second leg at the Emirates. But Bayern will be wary of Arsenal, knowing they thrashed last season’s winners, Lyon, 5-1 in the group stage.
Make no mistake, it is ON.
Kick off: 5.45pm (GMT) or 6.45pm in Munich.
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