Arsenal Women travel to Germany to face Wolfsburg Women for the first leg of the second semifinal of the Women’s Champions League 2022/23 season.
WOL-W vs ARS-W Match Details
Date: Sunday, 23 April 2023
Time: 14:30 (BST) / 19:00 (IST)
Venue: Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg
WOL-W vs ARS-W Match Preview
Wolfsburg kept their dreams of a treble alive entering the finals of the DFB Pokal by thrashing fellow league title challengers Bayern Munich Women 5-0 in the semifinals last weekend and then beat MSV Duisberg in the Frauen Bundesliga to stay within a point of the top place. She-Wolves have already qualified for the last four of the Women’s Champions League by overcoming PSG Women’s challenge 2-1 on aggregate in a closely fought battle at the quarterfinals. The German giants will now face another tough opposition in Arsenal at this stage having beaten them in the last meeting with former Gunner Jill Roord scoring and Leah Williamson putting in her own net for a 2-0 victory in the quarterfinals of the competition last season. Wolfsburg were eliminated by finalists Barcelona Women after that stage as they look to avoid back-to-back elimination from the Champions League in the semifinal round in a wish to win the title for the third time. Having won their last three European semifinals on home soil, the aim will be to finish the tie-off early in the first leg on Sunday.
Arsenal travel to Germany on an injury crisis and seemingly losing the race for the WSL title with a 1-0 defeat to league leaders Manchester United Women. It was Alessia Russo's winner again that sink the Gunners with Leah Williamson season-ending injury in the first-half compounding the misery. Jonas Eidevall's side are now six points off the top spot in the league table and is forced to fight for a Champions League spot instead with Manchester City Women, both level on points. In Europe, Arsenal have a chance to enter the final of the Champions League having already beaten German opposition in the quarterfinals. They overturned a 1-0 deficit from the first leg against Bayern Munich Women at the Emirates through a screamer from Frida Maanum in the 20th minute and Stina Blackstenius quickly added another to secure the victory on aggregate. Arsenal qualifies for their first semifinal The Gunners will now seek revenge for their last eight elimination in the hands of Wolfsburg at the semifinal this time. Should they manage to win, it will be their first one away in the Champions League last four after six such fixtures.
Recent Form (all competitions)
WOL-W: WWWDL
ARS-W: LWWWL
Recent Form (Champions league)
WOL-W: DWWDW
ARS-W: WLWLW
WOL-W vs ARS-W Team News
Wolfsburg are sweating on the fitness of their star striker Alexandra Popp who missed the last two games with an ankle injury. The captain remains a doubt for the clash otherwise Tommy Stroot's side has no fresh injury problems from the 3-0 win over MSV Duisburg in midweek. Lena Lattwein is ruled out with a broken collarbone suffered earlier this month.
Arsenal were dealt with a huge blow after captain Leah Williamson was ruled out for the season with an ACL injury picked up against Manchester United. Also set to miss the Women’s World Cup for England, the 26-year-old joins Kim Little on the sidelines. The Scotland international has suffered a season-ending hamstring injury as well. Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead are already out long-term. Caitlin Foord is a doubt for the trip to Germany but Steph Catley could feature after a spell on the sidelines and featuring in the midweek defeat to the Red Devils.
WOL-W vs ARS-W Predicted Lineups
WOL-W: Merle Frohms; Lynn Wilms, Kathrin Hendrich, Dominique Janssen, Felicitas Rauch; Lena Oberdorf, Jill Roord; Svenja Huth, Julia Brand, Alexandra Popp; Ewa Pajor
ARS-W: Manuela Zinsberger; Noelle Maritz, Wubben-Moy, Rafaelle, Steph Catley; Frida Maanum, Lia Walti, Katie McCabe; Victoria Pelova, Stina Blackstenius, Caitlin Foord
WOL-W vs ARS-W Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Zinsberger (7)
DEF: Janssen (8.5), Rafaelle (8), Rauch (8.5)
MID: Huth (9), Maanum (9), McCabe (8), Foord (8.5)
FW: Pajor (9), Popp (9), Blackstenius (7)
Vice-captain: Caitlin Foord
Captain: Frida Maanum
