Arsenal's women faced a tough challenge during the first leg of their UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid on March 18, 2025, suffering a 2-0 defeat at the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium. The match was marred by less-than-ideal pitch conditions, which played a significant role in the outcome.
Real Madrid's Linda Caicedo opened the scoring, taking advantage of a slip by Arsenal's Leah Williamson on the slick surface, which was plagued by heavy rain throughout the match. Despite their efforts, Arsenal struggled to find their rhythm on the sodden pitch, which hindered their response to the hosts' early goal. Athenea later added a second goal for Real Madrid, putting significant pressure on the Gunners as they head into the second leg.
Following the match, former Arsenal striker Ian Wright expressed his outrage at the poor state of the pitch, calling the situation a "f****** disgrace." In a social media post, he compared the conditions unfavorably to the recent battling pitch that had come under scrutiny at Derby County. “Watching the Champions League quarter-final Real Madrid pitch, this is worse than Derby’s pitch the other day,” Wright stated, highlighting a growing concern over the facilities and playing conditions in women's football.
Arsenal's head coach, Renee Sleger, also voiced her disappointment regarding the pitch. "Of course, weather is not within control, but I think we’ve seen a couple of games lately where the pitch conditions haven’t been great and I think that’s the next step for women’s football to take," she remarked after the match. She acknowledged that while they had prepared for the conditions, executing their game plan was compromised by the field.
Sleger continued to express pride in her team for their efforts despite the challenges, stating, "The players tried, so all credit to them for trying and their work rate. But again, I think we’re all confident that we can do something against them at the Emirates at home because it’s only half time.”
As Arsenal prepares to host the second leg at the Emirates on March 26, they will look to overcome the disadvantage faced in Spain. The players remain optimistic about turning around their fortunes and advancing to the next round of the competition.
With both teams aware that the match may not reflect their true capabilities due to the pitch's impact, the upcoming leg promises to be a crucial encounter as Arsenal hopes to capitalize on their home advantage and battle back into contention for a place in the semi-finals.
