Thursday night will represent Leah Williamson’s third Champions League quarter-final with Arsenal.
In 2014, she made her first start for the club as a 17-year-old as the Gunners were well beaten by Birmingham City at the quarter-final stage.
Then in 2020, the Gunners bowed out to Paris Saint Germain at the same stage in San Sebastián. Leah is hoping for third time lucky as Arsenal lock horns with Wolfsburg in Germany with the first leg score tied at 1-1.
“In my time here we haven’t been present enough at this stage of the competition, we haven’t been in the tournament enough period,” she told Arseblog News.
“In terms of the direction of the club and where we are going, it is important to be on this stage year after year if we are to become the team we say we want to be.
“Tomorrow will be an important day and hopefully this will be our time to get over that line.”
Around 300 tickets have been sold in the Arsenal section on Thursday, with away travel becoming more and more commonplace in the women’s game.
“The family are coming in their numbers tomorrow,” she says with a smile. “They’re making a holiday of it. My mum is actually working here, she works for Volkswagen so she is here anyway.”
In November, Arsenal were roared on by 500 boisterous fans as they beat Koge 5-1 in the group stage in Denmark. Among the travelling faithful, as always, were Leah’s family, who will be part of the 300-strong contingent.
🇩🇰 Arsenal Denmark ❤️
A small way to say thank you for your support 😊
From Simone Boye! 🤝 pic.twitter.com/RqvuyuoXgp
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) November 10, 2021
“The game in Denmark left a big impression on me, that was the first time I have ever experienced that sort of away support in those numbers and with the crowd really in great voice.
“We are really proud to see such a great away following, we know Wolfsburg have a really great home following so it should be a great atmosphere tomorrow, it all just adds to the spectacle.
“We hope our fans will be loud tomorrow and that we put in a performance that rewards them.”
The second leg kicks off at 5.45pm UK time in Wolfsburg and can be viewed free, anywhere in the world on DAZN’s YouTube channel.
COYGG
Really hope she scores the winner tomorrow evening. She’s a phenomenal player and a fantastic person, she bleeds Arsenal and probably our most important player. We struggled for consistency without her
Indeed a phenomenal professional & contributor to the cause. Leah speaks and carries herself so well. The only candidate for our next captain!
Born a gunner and living the dream 🙂