Despite a 4-1 defeat to Hoffenheim on Wednesday evening, Arsenal Women are through to their 14th Champions League quarter-finals. The Gunners needed to simply avoid a five goal margin of defeat in Germany and, though they made it a little too close for comfort, their main objective was achieved.
When is the draw?
It will take place on Monday at 12noon UK time in Nyon and the draw will be streamed on UEFA.com.
Who can Arsenal get?
As group runners-up, they can draw any of the group winners except for Barcelona, since Barca won Arsenal’s group. At the moment, they could draw Lyon or Paris Saint Germain. In addition to that, they could draw one of Wolfsburg and Chelsea, who play one another tomorrow evening in a straight shootout for top spot in their group. Teams from the same country can draw one another in the quarter-finals.
Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are also through as group runners-up so Arsenal can’t draw them. In Group A, Joe Montemurro’s Juventus cannot top the group but can finish group runners-up, the winner of Wolfsburg and Chelsea will win Group A, Chelsea win the group if they avoid defeat. If Juventus beat Servette and Wolfsburg beat Chelsea, Chelsea would be eliminated.
When will the quarter-finals be played?
Arsenal would be at home in the first leg on 22nd or 23rd March and away in the second leg on 30th or 31st March.
Whoever we get we will need to up our game. Tonight was a defensive disaster!
Five minutes of defensive carnage but we get through. Statistics DO lie more possession, more shots on target. Surely we were the better side???
Anyone but Chelski please.
Yes but it’s so frustrating. Problems after problems esp the defence since international break or leah’s absence. Luckily we still make it through to the knockout stage this time but we must not give away the ball so easily like in recent matches again. Instead of praying for leah’s comeback, something has to be done to make the defence better. I can’t see how we can deal with any other team in quarters if we perform like yesterday. The positive is winter break is around the corner allowing us to make things right.
Exactly! We are missing Leah which is patently obvious but that highlights a shortcoming of the squad if we are so totally reliant on one player not only as a defender but main playmaker too!
It’s always a problem when you’re relying a single player too much. Even the best players in the world have bad times and bad form even without any injuries. These recent matches can still be a blessing in disguise tho given that we still qualify if we react well and solve the issue. It’s better losing these matches than going into the second half of the season with those issues which can be much more costly. You always learn more in losses than wins.
We can’t win the champions league by avoiding the best.
So bring them on even combine eleven of Chelsea and Barca.
Best leave them until the final though, eh? Otherwise we will not be in the final unless there is a serious recruitment drive in January!
I’ve just watched highlights of the Wolfsburg-Chelsea game, and Chelsea’s defence looked as slow and easily carved open as ours. Sharp forward play can easily expose Millie Bright, something we should be able to do more when we’re playing them.
They were stressed and anxious…
Well at least we’ll not be facing them in the quarter finals!
So….when will the Re-Draw take place ?