Bayern Munich Frauen v Arsenal Women

Tuesday 21st March 2023

Kick off 545pm 

UEFA Women’s Champions League

Allianz Arena

The magnificent Allianz Arena plays host to the first leg of an enthralling Champions League quarter final between Bayern Munich and Arsenal on Tuesday night.

Arsenal were knocked out by German opposition at the same stage of last season’s competition, losing 2-0 away to Wolfsburg after the sides drew 1-1 at the Emirates. Bayern currently sit two points behind league leaders Wolfsburg in the Frauen Bundesliga, with the two sides going head to head on Saturday, meaning that wedged between the two Champions League legs is arguably Bayern’s most important league fixture of the season so far.

On the other hand, Arsenal are not only just five points off top spot in the Women’s Super League, the Gunners currently sit in fourth place, outside of the Champions League spots. Arsenal do have a game in hand on Manchester City and Manchester United, and will play both sides in April. Despite a loss of form this calendar year, Arsenal’s title race isn’t over yet, and the Gunners have already tasted success in the form of a Conti Cup victory.

Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall was content with his team not having a fixture on the weekend before this Champions League tie, saying that he would be trying to “make the most” of the opportunity to get some more training sessions in before a very tough fun of fixtures gets underway- Arsenal travel to Tottenham Hotspur in between the two legs in a fixture that needs no further introduction.

The Gunners come into the Bayern game off the back of WSL wins over Liverpool and then Reading, scoring six goals and not conceding any across the two games. The Reading display in particular was a very satisfying performance in all areas of the pitch, with Kim Little, Frida Maanum and Leah Williamson all on the scoresheet in front of a sold out crowd at Meadow Park.

As is with most European occasions though, Arsenal will have to raise their game as they face a Bayern Munich side that enjoyed five wins out of six in their Champions League group stage campaign. Bayern remain the only team in Europe to have beaten Barcelona this season, winning 3-1 at the Allianz Arena after going 2-0 up within ten minutes in a stunning display.

Bayern may have shocked last season’s Champions League finalists in the group stage, but Arsenal went one step further by beating European champions Lyon 5-1 on their own turf, in one of the most remarkable games Arsenal will play in for many seasons. Braces from Beth Mead and Caitlin Foord had Arsenal fans pinching themselves as Lyon were torn apart by the Gunners. Can Arsenal and Bayern Munich draw on these displays as they push on to reach the semi finals of the Champions League?

England captain Leah Williamson will come up against some familiar faces from last summer’s Euro 2022 final, with Germany’s Lina Magull and Lea Schuller key figures in the Bayern side. One player who will surely play an important role is summer signing from Manchester City Georgia Stanway, who made the move to Germany after being a part of the hiHow to watch, team news, head-to-heads, lineups and predictionstory making Lionesses team. 

Always a combative figure, Stanway has picked up the same amount of yellow cards as Arsenal’s loveable rogue Katie McCabe this season (seven), and it will surely be good viewing if the two do battle at any point across the two legs. The likes of Kim Little will be fighting it out with Stanway for midfield dominance as Arsenal look to progress from the quarter final stage for the first time in ten years.

Both games will be live for free on the DAZN UEFA Women’s Champions League YouTube channel, with tickets on sale for the second leg at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday March 29.