Football Bet of the Day: Gunners can land key UCL blow

It’s the international break for the men, so football action is few and far between. There’s one League 1 match and a host of National League encounters taking place, but we are aiming higher with our Football Bet of the Day as the Women’s Uefa Champions League quarter-finals get underway. There’s a tasty looking clash between Real Madrid and Arsenal to get us started with on Tuesday night, live on TNT Sports 1, with kick-off at 17:45. 

Renee Slegers has made an immediate impact since replacing Jonas Eidevall at Arsenal, and although they sit eight points off league leaders Chelsea in the WSL, the Champions League represents a real chance to make this season a memorable one. Slegers led her side to five consecutive group stage wins to top Group C, and that came after Eidevall oversaw a 5-2 hammering at the hands of Bayern Munich. 

Meanwhile, Real Madrid Femenino are making their first quarter-final appearance since 2021/22 having suffered group-stage exits in the last two seasons. We’ve also got some context on how they fare against English teams, as Chelsea beat them home and away in this season's group stage to secure top spot, leaving Real Madrid to settle for second place and set up this glamour tie v Arsenal. 

Real Madrid Women vs Arsenal Women Odds

Madrid beat Twente and Celtic in the group stage but I’m slightly concerned about their form heading into this fixture as they’ve been hammered by Barcelona in the Copa de la Reina semi-finals - losing 8-1 on aggregate over two legs - and then they slipped up again in the title race as they drew 2-2 with Deportivo La Coruna this weekend, leaving them seven points adrift of Barca in Liga F. 

These two second-placed teams in their domestic leagues meet here, but the quality difference between them - I believe - will be quite apparent when they meet on Tuesday. Arsenal have excellent pedigree in Europe and this will be their 16th Champions League quarter-final, while all of their eggs are in this basket after they were knocked out of the FA Cup and look unlikely to overhaul Chelsea in the WSL. 

But why else do I think Arsenal will gain an important away win in the first leg over in Spain? Well I think the team news is landing in their favour ahead of kick-off, as Real Madrid are certain to be without Teresa Abelleira, while Caroline Weir, Rocio Galvez and Melanie Leupolz all missed the weekend draw with Deportivo. Weir will surely start if she is fit enough, but Arsenal should be able to deal with whatever hand the home side plays. 

Football Odds

Lotte Wubben-Moy has missed the last four Arsenal matches and is unlikely to be fit, while goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar sat out of the win over Everton with concussion but could return here. Emily Fox picked up a knock against the Toffees but should play at right-back in Spain, but it is Arsenal’s attacking strength in depth that could win them this game, with Beth Mead and Caitlin Foord just two of their talents that are not guaranteed starting spots. 

Their away record of late is also almost impeccable. They’ve won seven of their last eight on the road and should be able to carry that form into the Champions League knockouts. Despite Real Madrid’s dreams of conquering Europe in the men’s and women’s games, I think at the moment, the Premier League side is just slightly ahead of Los Blancos in their journey for European glory.

Arsenal can put one foot in the semi-finals with a big away performance on Tuesday. 

Offers

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