Arsenal will get a sense of deja vu in Wednesday’s Champions League play-off round first leg as they run out to face OH Leuven in Belgium.
This was the fixture with which Renee Slegers’ side wrapped up their league phase campaign with a 3-0 win back in December, so it is little wonder they are strong favourites to advance in this two-legged tie and to the quarterfinals where Chelsea await.
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Slegers, whose side come into the match on the back of their FIFA Champions Cup success and a win over WSL leaders Manchester City, is preaching humility to ensure there is no slip-up.
“This is a different scenario [to the league phase] where there’s two legs to play 180 minutes,” she said. “They’re the first team to be at home and we play the second leg at home. So I’ll have to guess their approach to the game. I think what will be important for them is to to defend really well against us.
“But that will be just as important for us as well, because I’m sure they will try and create things with with fast attacks, with counter-attacks and we will want to stop that and we respect who they are — they are leading the table in Belgium and they have had a good performance in the Champions League.
“So even though we came away with a 3-0 win here last time, we’re very humble for the challenge tomorrow.”
Wednesday’s other tie sees Paris FC host Real Madrid in a rematch of their league phase meeting in the Spanish capital, in which Caroline Weir grabbed a late equaliser for Madrid.
The prize on offer to Real is obvious as Barcelona await the winners of this tie in the quarter-finals.
