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

Arsenal and Real Madrid meet in the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final second leg on Wednesday 26 March at Arsenal Stadium.

What do you need to know?

Madrid's only previous quarter-final in 2021/22 resulted in home and away defeats by Barcelona but goals from Linda Caicedo and Athenea del Castillo gave them victory against an Arsenal side who, like Lyon, are at this stage for a joint-record 16th time.

Caicedo, Signe Bruun (who got the winner in a 2020 quarter-final for Paris Saint-Germain against Arsenal) and former Gunner Caroline Weir all impressed for Madrid, who have struggled against Chelsea in the last three group stages but have beaten English opposition both times they have faced them in knockout ties; Manchester City in 2021/22 and 2022/23 qualifying. Madrid were further boosted on Sunday when Weir's late double in Alberto Toril's 150th game as coach gave them a 3-1 league win at Barcelona, who had beaten them in all 18 previous meetings.

Arsenal now have a big task if they are to make an eighth semi-final but the last time they were at this stage they lost an away first leg, 1-0 at Bayern, and prevailed 2-0 at home in the return. The Gunners are also the only club to go through in a quarter-final after losing the first leg by more than one goal, against Torres Terra Sarda in 2004/05 when Arsenal lost 2-0 in Sardinia but dramatically won 4-1 at Borehamwood. Bouncing back from losing 5-2 at Bayern on Matchday 1 this season to top their group ahead of the German side shows that Arsenal are not to be written off.

Form guide

Arsenal
Last six games: WLWLWW
Last match: Arsenal 4-0 Liverpool, 22/03, league
Where they stand: 2nd in Women's Super League

Real Madrid
Last six games: WWDLWL
Last match: Barcelona 1-3 Real Madrid, 23/03, league
Where they stand: 2nd in Liga F

Starting line-ups

Arsenal: Van Domselaar; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Little, Maanum. Mariona; Kelly, Russo, Foord

Real Madrid: Misa; Sheila García, María Méndez, Lakrar, Olga Carmona; Toletti, Angeldahl, Weir; Linda Caicedo, Bruun, Athenea del Castillo

View from the camps

Renée Slegers, Arsenal coach: "We are aware of Real Madrid's threat, but we know what we need to do. We have lots of quality in the squad and will try to make the correct decisions when needed. Together with our fans we can create something magical, and it's down to us and what we bring to the game.

"All games are important if you're coaching Arsenal, but we know what this means for a lot of people. I know for a fact that we are going to be calm and composed, but we have to plan for a lot of different scenarios. We have belief."

Leah Williamson, Arsenal defender: "It's the biggest week that we've had or biggest month we've had, for competitions, knockout competitions and this game's no different. I think the work that we've done you can see a direction we're going in and we need to make results count for us.

"We don't underestimate anyone. We know the Real Madrid players well. The Champions League is very competitive, and their results don't surprise us. They have a lot of quality as a team. We want to give our best."

Alberto Toril, Real Madrid coach: "We are up against a great opponent. We have to fully understand the match ahead, which will be difficult, but I think we're ready. We're focused and, above all, we have the mentality to win.

"We know it will be difficult. We have an opponent with many qualities and strengths. We have a good [first-leg] result behind us. They will put a lot of pressure on us with their fans behind them, but we will have to handle that. The players are ready, and we're going to be fully focused to pull this off."

Caroline Weir, Real Madrid midfielder: "We're excited. We've come all this way, and we know it will be difficult, but the team is ready, and we have recovered from the weekend [win against Barcelona]. [Arsenal] have a lot of good players. At the same time, we have confidence in ourselves. It's difficult, but it's possible."

Where is the 2025 UEFA Women's Champions League final being played?

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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.