Real Madrid vs Arsenal Women's Champions League preview: Where to watch, starting line-ups

Real Madrid and Arsenal meet in their UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday 18 March at Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano.

What do you need to know?

Madrid reached the quarter-finals in their debut campaign in 2021/22, losing to Barcelona, and are now back after two consecutive group stage exits. Both of those were to Chelsea and Madrid began their group campaign this time with a third away loss in London, but then put together a four-game winning run against Celtic and Twente to progress.

Arsenal are in a joint-record 16th quarter-final and, like Madrid, bounced back from a Matchday 1 defeat (5-2 at Bayern) and ended up overtaking the German team for first place. Those five group wins came after Renée Slegers took over as interim coach and she is now in permanent charge as Arsenal seek to reach an eighth semi-final. Goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar suffered a concussion in the 9 March loss to Liverpool and is out along with defender Lotte Wubben-Moy.

The Gunners' squad includes two former Barcelona players, Mariona Caldentey and Laia Codina, who both have perfect career records against the Spanish capital outfit (though new Arsenal signing Chloe Kelly has unhappy memories of a 2022/23 round 1 final loss at Madrid with her parent club Man City). Caroline Weir of Madrid first came to England from Scotland to play for Arsenal between 2013 and 2015, while Signe Bruun will remember a 2020 quarter-final against the Gunners well, when she scored Paris Saint-Germain's winner.

Form guide

Real Madrid
Last six games: DLWLWW
Last match: Real Madrid 2-2 Deportivo, 15/03, Liga F
Where they stand: 2nd in Liga F

Arsenal
Last six games: WLWWWL
Last match: Everton 1-3 Arsenal, 14/03, Women's Super League
Where they stand: 2nd in Women's Super League

Starting line-ups

Real Madrid: Misa; Sheila García, Lakrar, María Méndez, Olga Carmona; Toletti, Leopolz, Angeldahl; Caciedo, Weir; Bruun

Arsenal: Zinsberger; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Little, Cooney-Cross; Mead, Russo, Mariona Caldentey; Blackstenius

View from the camps

Alberto Toril, Real Madrid coach: "I expect a close tie between two teams that are doing really well. I'm really looking forward to this quarter-final. This is the second time we have reached this stage, and getting to the semi-finals would be an important step in our progress. I think we're ready for it.

"My players will need to get to grips with the key moments of each leg of the tie. There will be many matches within the match itself. We have to control the situations and take the game to where it suits us, starting with possession, being well-positioned so as to not afford them too much space and stretching the game."

Sandie Toletti, Real Madrid midfielder: "It will be difficult; Arsenal are a great team, but we're focused and prepared. It will be a beautiful occasion, and we have a lot of ambition to be among the top four in Europe. We couldn't win against Deportivo at the weekend, but we are all ready."

Renée Slegers, Arsenal coach: "They’re a very strong collective. They have a strong identity, they look disciplined both in and out of possession. They also have some key threats with a couple of individuals in the team that we really want to try and stop.

"They’re a top team and will want to bounce back from recent performances. Barcelona-Real Madrid is always going to be a tough tie for both teams [Madrid lost both legs of their recent Copa de la Reina semi-final]. They made some changes on Saturday against Deportivo and they’re probably not happy with the two points dropped. They will be determined to come out at their home arena and do their best."

Alessia Russo, Arsenal forward: "I'm really excited. I was just saying to Renée that it’s my first quarter-final in the Champions League, so I’m really looking forward to it. The squad’s in a good place. We had a positive result on Friday and we’ve seen a lot of each other this week with the travelling and playing games; we’re in a good place as a team."

Where is the 2025 Women's Champions League final?

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Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon will stage the 2025 UEFA Women's Champions League final on Saturday 24 May.

The home of Sporting CP opened in 2003 ahead of UEFA EURO 2004 in Portugal, replacing another stadium of the same name. It hosted a semi-final of that tournament, among other games, and was the venue for the UEFA Cup decider the following year.

The 2025 final will be the second Women's Champions League showpiece to be held in Lisbon after 2014, when Estádio do Restelo staged Wolfsburg's 4-3 win against Tyresö.