Arsenal Women will travel to Germany on Thursday for their opening group stage match of the Women’s Champions League, where they face Bayern Munich Women. The Gunners will battle it out with Bayern, Juventus, and Valerenga over the course of six matchdays for a top-two finish in Group C.
Match Preview
Bayern Munich enter the competition as one of the four teams that earned automatic qualification to the group stage, thanks to their success in last season’s Frauen-Bundesliga. The German champions secured their spot by winning 19 games and drawing three in 22 matches, claiming back-to-back league titles.
After failing to advance past the group phase last season, Bayern will aim for a stronger European campaign this time around. They carry impressive momentum into this fixture, having won all seven of their competitive matches so far this season. Their latest victory, a 1-0 win over FC Koln on Saturday, came from a 71st-minute strike by Klara Bühl.
This match will also be a chance for Bayern to avenge their 2022-23 Women’s Champions League quarter-final defeat to Arsenal, where they lost 2-1 on aggregate after winning the first leg.
Arsenal’s Journey
In contrast to Bayern’s automatic qualification, Arsenal had to navigate through the qualifying rounds to reach the group stage. The Gunners finished third in the Women’s Super League last season, forcing them to take the longer route. Arsenal managed to beat Rangers and Rosenborg in the first qualifying stage and overcame a first-leg deficit to defeat Hacken 4-1 on aggregate in the second round.
While pleased to reach the group stage, Arsenal’s domestic form has been inconsistent. They have won just one of their first three Women’s Super League matches, drawing the other two, including a goalless stalemate against Everton on Sunday. Despite their shaky start, Arsenal can take comfort in keeping three consecutive clean sheets in their recent competitive games.
However, they face a tough challenge in securing all three points on Wednesday, having won just one of their last five European away matches.
Team News
Bayern will be without defender Katharina Naschenweng and midfielder Lena Oberdorf, both sidelined with anterior cruciate ligament injuries. Franziska Kett is also unlikely to feature due to an ankle problem, which has kept her out of the last five games. Glodis Viggosdottir, who missed the win over FC Koln due to suspension, is expected to return to the starting lineup.
Arsenal have injury concerns of their own, with Victoria Pelova, Laura Wienroither, Amanda Ilestedt, and Lina Hurtig all unavailable. Captain Leah Williamson is in contention to start after making a substitute appearance against Everton following her recovery from injury. Jonas Eidevall may also opt to bring Lia Walti and Stina Blackstenius into the starting lineup for the trip to Germany.
Predicted Lineups
Bayern Munich Women possible starting lineup: Grohs; Gwinn, Viggosdottir, Sembrant, Simon; Kerr, Stanway; Dallmann, Harder, Bühl; Schüller
Arsenal Women possible starting lineup: Van Domselaar; Fox, Williamson, Codina, McCabe; Walti, Cooney-Cross; Mead, Maanum, Caldentey; Blackstenius
Prediction: Bayern Munich Women 2-1 Arsenal Women
Given Arsenal’s narrow loss to Hacken in their previous European away game and Bayern’s perfect record in competitive matches this season, the Gunners may face another tough defeat in this fixture.
