Arsenal Women are searching for their first win in four games in total in all competitions when they welcome Real Madrid Women to Meadow Park in the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) on Wednesday night.
Indeed, the Gunners were held to a 0-0 draw away from home by North London rivals Tottenham in the Women’s Super League (WSL) over the weekend, giving them another setback in the title race with both Chelsea Women and Manchester United Women also dropping points ahead of their UWCL fixtures. They were also pegged back to a 3-2 defeat away at Bayern Munich Women in the tournament last time out, after being two goals up.
Real Women are also winless in their last two matches, and were thumped 4-0 away at their own arch-rivals Barcelona Women last time out. They are unbeaten in the UWCL so far though, picking up a total of seven points from their first three games.
Both teams met for the first time in the UWCL last season, where Arsenal Women won their home fixture 3-0 and Real Women also winning theirs 2-0. Nonetheless, this feels like a tough one to call.
How the bookies view it: Arsenal odds-on favourites
Arsenal Women have been installed as the 1/2 odds-on favourites with bookmakers to claim all three points on home soil. Real Women are as far out as 7/2 with the same bookmaker to win themselves.
Given Arsenal Women’s shaky form of late, we think more dropped points could happen here. A draw can be backed at 3/1 odds with BoyleSports.
Recent head-to-head: Arsenal Women impress
Arsenal Women beat Real Women 3-0 in this corresponding fixture in March. Alessia Russo and Chloe Kelly stole the show, with the former scoring twice and the latter assisting twice.
Players to watch: Russo still a threat
Despite blanking against Spurs Women, Russo still remains a threat having already scored a couple of goals in this season’s UWCL, as well as against Real Women last time out.
Alba Redondo boasts three goals in total for Real Women in the UWCL so far, and should be recalled after missing out on a start against Barcelona Women.
Predicted lineups
Manuela Zinsberger, Katie Reid, Leah Williamson and Kim Little are all expected to miss out again for Arsenal Women through injury.
Likewise, Real Women are also missing key players in the likes of Merle Frohms, Antonia, Sandie Toletti and Signe Bruun.
Arsenal Women: Van Domselaar; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Catley, Hinds; Pelova, Cooney-Cross, Caldentey; Smith, Foord, Russo.
Real Madrid Women: Misa; Navarro, Mendez, Lakrar, Holmgaard; Angeldal, Dabritz; Feller, Weir, Caicedo; Redondo.
Anything else catch the eye?
Both teams failed to score over the weekend, and so confidence is low not just in terms of results, but also in front of goal. Under 2.5 total goals can be backed at 7/5 odds with BoyleSports.
Likewise, we are expecting a slow and nervy start from both sides with a win for either particularly morale-boosting for their games ahead. As such, we can see a goalless first half occurring, which BoyleSports have given tempting 5/2 odds too.
GambleAware