Benfica vs Arsenal Women preview | UEFA Women’s Champions League
Arsenal head back to the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon — the ground where they were crowned European champions — carrying more questions than plaudits. The Gunners have been short on form this month. Four games without a win bled into their Champions League opener when Lyon edged them 2-1. Sunday’s 1-0 win over Brighton stopped the skid, but it didn’t erase the problems that followed last season’s highs.
Why this match matters
Arsenal are defending champions and that label makes every point matter twice. A draw at the Estádio da Luz would feel like damage limitation. A win resets momentum. Lose, and the pressure that mounted after the Lyon result turns ugly fast. Renée Slegers has made that clear while warning her players about Benfica’s intensity, saying “We’re going to play at the big stadium, we’re going to have a crowd. We also have fans coming, which is great. So we expect a lot of intensity in the game, which we want to match and always want to bring as well, and we want to deal with it in a good way and create control in the game for ourselves.”
Benfica, on the other hand, arrive confident at home and sharp in front of goal after a strong domestic run that includes big wins. Their Champions League opener was a narrow 2-1 defeat in Turin, but they’ve shown they can score and create chances at pace. The Benfica crowd will do the rest so Arsenal must avoid inviting pressure and sloppy possession around their box like we saw against Lyon.
Team news
Leah Williamson remains on the road back from a knee injury but has begun pitch work, which means Katie Reid will continue in central defence alongside Steph Catley, Emily Fox and Katie McCabe. Up front, Slegers could freshen things with Beth Mead or Chloe Kelly if she wants more direct threat or give Olivia Smith her first UWCL start with Caitlin Foord on the other wing. Benfica will be without Nycole Raysla after her weekend injury, with Cristina Martin-Prieto likely to start.
How Arsenal Will Win
– Arsenal must control the middle as Benfica will press hard and look to make the game frantic. Quick, accurate passing through the centre will be non-negotiable.
– Width matters. With full-backs Catley and McCabe (or Taylor Hinds) pushing on, Arsenal can stretch Benfica and create pockets for Maanum and Little.
• Protect the box. Set pieces and second balls could decide a tight game. Arsenal’s recent defensive lapses have cost them; they cannot afford another sloppy turnover in dangerous areas.
Predicted Arsenal XI
Van Domselaar; Fox, Reid, Catley, McCabe; Maanum, Little, Caldentey; Mead, Kelly, Russo.
This is a test more than a spectacle. Arsenal must show the mental resilience champions are built on. If they keep their passing simple, close down the gaps between midfield and defence, and convert a set-piece or two, they leave Lisbon with the result they need. Fail to do that and the title defence looks a lot heavier than it did in May.
