Real Madrid 2-0 Arsenal: Gunners face uphill task after frustrating defeat in Women's Champions League

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Evening Standard

·18 de marzo de 2025

Real Madrid 2-0 Arsenal: Gunners face uphill task after frustrating defeat in Women's Champions League

Gunners concede two poor goals to leave them under huge pressure heading back to north London

Linda Caicedo fired Real Madrid into a first-half lead

OneFootball Videos

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Arsenal have it all to do in the Women’s Champions League after they fell to a 2-0 defeat in the first leg of their quarter-final tie against Real Madrid.

The Gunners went into the clash in Madrid as favourites to progress, but they must now stage a rousing comeback at the Emirates Stadium, after they were punished on a frustrating evening.

In rainy conditions and on a terrible playing surface, Arsenal made a confident start, only to concede against the run of play midway through the first-half. The ball was lost in midfield, Leah Williamson failed to cut out a through ball and Linda Caicedo took full advantage to burst through and finish well.

Beth Mead went closest to levelling the match before half-time, but her strike from just outside the area whistled past the far post.

Again it was Arsenal pushing in the second-half, with Chloe Kelly and Caitlin Foord introduced at the break, though while the visitors had a successions of set-pieces, they struggled to create much in the way of clear-cut chances.

The Gunners had an appeal for a penalty waved away, when Kelly went down in the box after a smart pass from Russo, while Misa Rodriguez deal well with a number of crosses into the box.

Arsenal remained on top in their pursuit of an equaliser, yet it was at the other end that the second goal came. The visitors were too open in midfield, allowing Real to break into space, and Athenea del Castillo’s shot found a way past Manuela Zinsberger, who should have done better in goal.

Arsenal could not pull one back in the closing stages, leaving them with requiring a special night in north London if they are to reach the semi-finals.