Arsenal v Chelsea: Women’s Champions League quarter-final, first leg – live
Key events
Kick-off is about 40 minutes away. You’ve got plenty of time to enjoy this excellent interview with Alessia Russo of Arsenal, by Suzanne Wrack:
Teams
Three changes for Arsenal: Beth Mead, Emily Fox and Katie McCabe come in after the 5-0 WSL win against West Ham on Saturday.
For Chelsea and Bompastor it’s five changes: Lauren James, Lucy Bronze, Keira Walsh, Sandy Baltimore and Naomi Girma all return.
Arsenal Women (4-3-3): Borbe; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Codina, McCabe; Mead, Little, Caldentey; Russo, Blackstenius, Kelly. Substitutes: Votikova, Van Domselaar, Maanum, Smith, Pelova, Hinds, Holmberg, Harwood.
Chelsea Women (3-5-2): Hampton; Girma, Buchanan, Buurman; Bronze, Cuthbert, Walsh, Nusken, Baltimore; James, Thompson. Substitutes: Peng, Spencer, Carpenter, Kaptein, Kaneryd, Potter, Shooter, Storey, Sarwie.
Seismic news from the men’s version of association football:
Preamble
Arsenal Women won the big prize last season, but after a fifth-placed finish in the league phase this time around, the holders were subjected to the relative indignity of needing a playoff for a place in the quarter-finals. A 7-1 aggregate success against Leuven was duly delivered and now Chelsea, their Women’s Super League rivals, stand between the Gunners and a place in the last four.
Sonia Bompastor, the Chelsea head coach, felt it necessary to deny that her team are facing a full-blown injury crisis after just eight players took part in an open training session before the first leg tonight. “This is what it is when you are Chelsea,” Bompastor said. Sam Kerr and Ellie Carpenter were not considered for selection having returned from Australia’s Asian Cup final defeat by Japan on Saturday – Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Caitlin Foord of Arsenal were also involved and will play no part at the Emirates Stadium this evening.
This is the first time in the history of Uefa Women’s club competitions that teams from the same city have faced each other. While Arsenal, as holders, may be considered favourites, Chelsea have never lost on any of their previous six occasions they have reached the quarter-finals. Something has to give.
Kick-off: 8pm UK GMT
