To be the best, you need to beat the very best. It’s the reason why Chelsea Women will be up against Arsenal at the Emirates this Tuesday for the first leg of the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-finals.
For the first time in a while the Blues come into a tie like this as underdogs. It’s a weird feeling that we don’t want to get used to. But it could make things easier for us as pressure is on the hosts to show their winning run last season was not a fluke.
Date / Time: Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 20:00 BST; 3:00 pm ET
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London, UK
Referee: Alina Peşu (on pitch); Ovidiu Haţegan (VAR)
Forecast: Many clouds, not as much breeze
On TV: BBC Two (UK); CBS Sports Network, ESPN Deportes (US); elsewhere
Streaming: BBC iPlayer, Disney+ (UK); ESPN+, fuboTV, Paramount+ (US)
Arsenal team news: With Chelsea failing to make the most out of several opportunities in the Women’s Super League to at least keep at Manchester City’s toes, the Gunners are the team best positioned to take over if the Mancunians let the trophy slip through their fingers somehow. They are on a nine-win streak that began with a 2-0 league win over the Blues in January.
Head coach Renee Slegers won’t be able to call upon defender Steph Catley, midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross and forward Caitlin Foord as they’ll be resting from an extended international break due to Australia’s deep AFC Women’s Asian Cup run. Team captain Leah Williamson is also out of contention.
Chelsea team news: Yes, this Blues team is extremely tired and the squad is getting thinner by the day with key injuries all over. This doesn’t mean a team like this should fold like it did in the second half of their 1-1 draw against London City last weekend, which could have well been a loss hadn’t it been for Hannah Hampton with some key saves.
Unfortunately for us and manager Sonia Bompastor, captain Millie Bright isn’t ready to return to the pitch. It’s the same case for defender Ellie Carpenter and forward Sam Kerr, who just arrived in England from Australian national team duty. Aggie Beever-Jones, who left the field early last Saturday with a knock, might be fit to feature.
Previously: Mayra Ramírez and Sandy Baltimore provide the goods in a 2-1 WSL win at the Emirates.