Arsenal Women are desperate to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit against a dominating Bayern Women team to make their way into the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League. The winners of the tie will either face Roma Women or Barcelona Women in the next round.
ARS-W vs BAY-W Match Details
Date: Wednesday, 29 March 2023 / Thursday, 30 March 2023
Time: 20:00 (BST) / 00:30 (IST)
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
ARS-W vs BAY-W Match Preview
Arsenal Women tried their best to get back into the game after going 1-0 down in the first-half of the first leg at Allianz Arena but a number of squandered chances and some heroic clearances off the line by Bayern Women’s defense denied them the equalizer. It leaves Jonas Eidevall’s side all to do in the second leg this midweek at home. This time the Gunners will enter the clash in full confidence and spirit after smashing North-London rivals Tottenham Hotspurs Women 5-1 at the weekend and restoring themselves back in the Women’s Super League title contention. Despite several first-teamers rested, Arsenal were able to show their might in the derby with strikes from Stina Blackstenius, Kim Little on either side of a Caitlin Foord’s brace. The trio will be crucial again to produce their best quality in overturning the deficit in the return leg of the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals. Arsenal have won five of their last six competitive home games in regulation time and will be wishing to end the game in that period following the massive win in the league.
It was a crunching schedule for the Gunners as they faced a North-London derby in between the double-legged quarterfinal tie and also had to battle Chelsea in two cup competitions. The same could be said about Bayern Women who were involved in a top-of-the-table battle with Wolfsburg Women in the Bundesliga Femenina straight after the first leg last week. A Georgia Stanway penalty for the 1-0 win settled that potential title-deciding clash helping Bayern to claim the first position in the league. The impressive victory also extended their spectacular winning run to 13 games in a row in all competitions. They scored an outstanding 35 goals in that period. One of them was scored by Lea Schuller in the first-leg win which the Bavarians now want to build to reach the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League for the third time. Alexander Straus's side are in scintillating form and will be willing to replace their quarterfinal exit against Paris Saint-Germain Women last year to progress from this stage this season.
Recent Form (all competitions)
ARS-W: WLWWW
BAY-W: WWWWW
Recent Form (Champions League)
ARS-W: LWWDW
BAY-W: WWWWL
ARS-W vs BAY-W Team News
Arsenal Women have not picked up any other injury concerns from the first leg of this clash or the North London derby last weekend. Manuela Zinsberger, Laura Wienroither and Rafaelle all will be called back to the starting lineup after being rested against Spurs. Vivianne Miedema, Beth Mead and Steph Catley remain out for a long-time but the latter could return before the end of the season.
Giulia Gwinn is ruled out through injury for Bayern Women while Linda Dallmann underwent ankle surgery this month and will miss the rest of the season. Lea Schuller picked up a knock in the first leg to be taken off as a concern. However, the center-forward featured in the weekend win over Wolfsburg Women from the bench and will start the second leg at Emirates. Glodis Viggosdottir and Saki Kumagai will try to keep their eighth consecutive clean sheet in their center-back partnership.
ARS-W vs BAY-W Predicted Lineups
ARS-W: Manuele Zinsberger; Laura Wienroither, Leah Williamson, Rafaelle, Noelle Maritz; Frida Maanum, Kim Little, Lia Walti; Katie McCabe, Stina Blackstenius, Caitlin Foord
BAY-W: Maria Grohs; Maximiliane Rall, Glodis Viggosdottir, Saki Kumagai, Tuva Hansen; Sarah Zadrazil, Georgia Stanway; Sydney Lohmann, Lina Magull, Klara Buhl; Lea Schuller
ARS-W vs BAY-W Dream11 Team Prediction
Team 1
GK: Grohs (7.5)
DEF: Rall (8.5), Kumagai (7), Williamson (8.5)
MID: Stanway (9), Maanum (9), Magull (8.5), Little (8)
FW: Foord (9), Blackstenius (9), Schuller (9)
Vice-captain: Lea Schuller
Captain: Georgia Stanway
Team 2
GK: Grohs (7.5)
DEF: Rall (8.5), Kumagai (7), Williamson (8.5)
MID: Stanway (9), Maanum (9), Magull (8.5), Little (8)
FW: Foord (9), Schuller (9), Buhl (8.5)
Vice-captain: Frida Maanum
Captain: Georgia Stanway
