Arsenal’s manager, Renée Slegers, addressed the media following her team’s narrow 3-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Women’s Champions League. The loss marked a rocky start for Arsenal as they look to defend their title. The team began their campaign with a disappointing home defeat against OL Lyonnes but managed to bounce back with an away victory over Benfica.
Despite leading 2-0 at halftime against Bayern, Arsenal’s advantage evaporated, allowing their opponents to come back for the victory. Further woes followed as Arsenal faced a frustrating 0-0 draw against Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby. While there is some relief with Beth Mead reportedly fit to play, injuries in the defense remain a concern, leaving Arsenal sitting eleventh in the UWCL table, trailing eight points behind league leaders Manchester City.
In contrast, Real Madrid arrives at Meadow Park for Thursday’s clash following a challenging period, which included a heavy 4-0 defeat in El Clasico against Barcelona. However, they managed to secure a crucial 1-1 draw against Paris FC in their latest UWCL match, which keeps their hopes for a top-four spot alive. Historically, Real Madrid has struggled in recent encounters at Arsenal; their last trip to London ended with a 0-3 loss after they squandered a 2-0 aggregate advantage in the semifinals last season.
This upcoming matchup promises to be pivotal for both teams as they seek to regain form and improve their standings in the competition. Arsenal will need a strong performance to overcome their recent setbacks, while Real Madrid will be eager for redemption following their recent defeats.
Fans will be able to watch the game live, with all 75 matches of this year’s UEFA Women’s Champions League streamed on Disney+ in the UK and Europe, as well as CBS in the United States and FanCode in India.
The match is scheduled for Wednesday, November 19 at 8 p.m. GMT (3 p.m. ET) at Meadow Park, with Silvia Gasperotti officiating the game. As both teams prepare for this significant encounter, the stakes are high, and both sets of players will be eager to make a statement.