Chelsea vs Arsenal – News and Probable Lineups

A place in the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League is on the line as Chelsea Women take on Arsenal Women in the second leg of their quarter-final at Stamford Bridge.

The Gunners will go into Wednesday’s match with a two-goal advantage following their 3-1 win in last week’s first leg at the Emirates Stadium.

Match overview

Chelsea entered the knockout stages of the Women’s Champions League with high hopes after qualifying directly for the quarter-finals owing to a third-place league finish.

However, they face a challenging task to keep their hopes alive for their first European title after suffering a 3-1 defeat in the first leg against Arsenal.

Fortunately for Chelsea, they have recent memories of overturning a two-goal deficit, having bounced back from a 2-0 loss in last season’s quarter-final against Manchester City with a 3-0 win in the return match.

Sonia Bompastor’s team comes into Wednesday’s fixture following a thrilling seven-goal match against Aston Villa at Kingsmeadow, where Sam Kerr, Namomi Girma, and Lauren James all scored in a first half that ended 3-3.

Sjoeke Nuseken became Chelsea’s hero by scoring an 82nd-minute winner, resulting in a dramatic 4-3 victory that propelled her team into second place in the race for UWCL qualification.

This latest win also marked Chelsea’s 17th victory in 24 home matches across all competitions this season (D4, L3).

The Blues will look to leverage their home advantage to enhance their strong record in UWCL quarter-finals, having advanced from each of their last six ties at this stage.

Meanwhile, Arsenal is aiming to retain the title they clinched with a 1-0 win over Barcelona in last season’s final held in Lisbon.

Unlike their London counterparts, the Gunners had to navigate a playoff round after finishing just outside the top four in the league phase.

Renee Slegers’ team comfortably dealt with their playoff encounter against Leuven of Bélgica, achieving a 7-1 aggregate win to set up UWCL’s first-ever knockout clash between two clubs from the same city.

Arsenal holds a significant advantage heading into Wednesday’s trip to Stamford Bridge, having demonstrated strong performances at the Emirates, where Stina Blackstenius, Chloe Kelly, and Alessia Russo all found the net.

Russo then shone in Saturday’s North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur, scoring a hat-trick in the opening half-hour as the Gunners secured a 5-2 victory, moving them into third place in the WSL, just two points behind Chelsea but with two games in hand.

As a result of their derby victory, the Gunners have now claimed wins in their last 11 competitive outings, a streak that commenced with a 2-0 triumph over Chelsea in January’s visit to Stamford Bridge.

Arsenal is bolstered by the fact that they have historically advanced from their last four European two-legged competitions when holding a two-goal lead from the first leg.

Team News

Chelsea will likely miss Nathalie Bjorn, Millie Bright, and Mayra Ramírez due to injuries.

Forward Aggie Beever-Jones remains a question mark for the second leg after missing the last two matches due to an injury sustained during the draw against London City Lionesses.

Erin Cuthbert is expected to return to midfield following a stint on the bench during Sunday’s dramatic win over Villa.

As for Arsenal, head coach Renee Slegers announced on Friday that Kyra Cooney-Cross will sit out the remainder of the season because of personal reasons.

Manuela Zinsberger and Katie Reid remain out due to knee injuries, while Leah Williamson is uncertain after being absent from the past three matchday squads.

Anneke Borbe, Emily Fox, Beth Mead, and Stina Blackstenius are all in contention for returns after being on the bench on Saturday.

Chelsea Women probable starting XI:

Hampton; Carpenter, Bronze, Girma, Boorman; Walsh; Thompson, Cuthbert, Nusken, James; Kerr

Arsenal Women probable starting XI:

Borbe; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Catley, McCabe; Little, Caldentey; Mead, Russo, Kelly; Blackstenius

Chelsea demonstrated over the weekend that they possess the attacking prowess to score freely, but their defense has appeared shaky in recent matches. Considering this, we anticipate the second leg to yield goals and a result that will see Arsenal progress.