Key events<\/p>\n
\u201cTime was, the despondent Arsenal fan could turn away from a poor showing by the men\u2019s team to see something inspiring by the women; serial winners, of course, under the inimitable Vic Akers,\u201d writes Charles Antaki. \u201cBut that was then. Now, faced with trying to get over with a night of embarrassment and chagrin \u2013 a hopeless, shaming farrago by the men \u2013 watching the women\u2019s team isn\u2019t quite the surefire refreshment it once was. In fact, they\u2019ve been deeply disappointing in all their games this season so far. Inspiration needed all round. Call up Vic. Get him to pull his shorts on and step out onto the technical area. Make it yesterday once more.\u201d<\/p>\n
You\u2019re two of my favourite MBMers, but I think I\u2019m in Camp K\u00e1ri on this. Great managers have wobbles, something I wish I knew when I wrote the most moronic piece of my life<\/a> 20 years ago.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI was stunned when I read that Ren\u00e9e Slegers was under pressure,\u201d writes K\u00e1ri Tulinius. \u201cIt\u2019s only just over a year since the greatest triumph in the club\u2019s history, not only winning the Champions League, but beating that Barcelona side. Yes, Arsenal have started horribly, but I think Slegers has shown she\u2019s a great coach.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WCL results<\/p>\n Chelsea 2-0 Roma (Carpenter, Buchanan)<\/p>\n Bayern Munich 2-2 Real Madrid<\/p>\n Servette 5-1 Leuven<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.49 EDT<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t forget Servette!\u201d writes Jez Smith. \u201cWe are at Servette, where we saw our team put in a commanding performance to beat Leuven 5-1. We are, at least briefly, be above the likes of Manchester City. Which feels incredible after our first two defeats in the campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Ellie Carpenter has put Chelsea 1-0 up at home to Roma, and Momoko Tanikawa has scored Bayern Munich\u2019s second equaliser at home to Real Madrid. Yep.<\/p>\n Ellie Carpenter celebrates scoring the opening goal for Chelsea. Photograph: John Sibley\/Action Images\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.42 EDT<\/p>\n Team news<\/p>\n Renee Slegers makes three changes from the win at Spurs. Elisa De Almeida, Ona Batlle and Geraldine Reuteler come in for Leah Williamson, Emily Fox and Lisa Baum<\/p>\n Arsenal (4-2-3-1) Rodriguez; Batlle, De Almeida, Catley, Hinds; Cooney-Cross, Stanway; Smith, Reuteler, Foord; Russo.<\/p>\n Subs: Borbe, Damm, Fox, Wubben-Moy, Williamson, Little, Baum, Blackstenius, Holmberg.<\/p>\n Benfica (4-3-3) Pauels; Amado, Gomes, Testen, Bratberg Lund; Pauleta, Moller, Csiki; Davidson, Dorsin, Alves.<\/p>\n Subs: Thais Lima, Bihina, Demehin, Norton, Borges, Oliveira, Sabastine, Tristao, Ziqin, Costa, Loucao, Guedes.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The half-time scores in tonight\u2019s early games<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Preamble<\/p>\n Hello, hello and welcome to live coverage of Arsenal v Benfica in the Women\u2019s Champions League. Arsenal will hope their 2-1 win at Tottenham kickstarts a hitherto disappointing season. They\u2019re sixth in the WSL, with two wins from seven, and have four points out of six in the Champions League. It should really be six from six \u2013 they led 2-0 away to Paris FC last month before being pegged back<\/a>.<\/p>\n This is what the head coach Renee Slegers had to say in her programme notes for tonight\u2019s game.<\/p>\n double quotation markLet\u2019s make Saturday\u2019s success against Tottenham Hotspur the beginning of something. We have been on such a frustrating run of games and to be able to break that cycle on Saturday, at the north London derby no less, meant so much to all of us.<\/p>\n You all deserved that win. Your dedication to this team throughout a difficult start to the season has been nothing short of incredible and we are all so grateful for your support. We wanted to make sure you knew that.<\/p>\n The supporters were on our minds all week in the lead-up to the match. We\u2019d spoken within the group about how everyone wanted to play for something bigger than themselves, and there\u2019s no greater symbol for that than a sold-out away end of nearly 4,000 people. So we said: let\u2019s do this for you. In times like these, actions speak louder than words.<\/p>\n You could see that when Leah sprinted to you the moment the final whistle blew, with Isabella Damm and Amy Liddiard right there in the crowd alongside you. Saturday was an outpouring of relief, but it was also more than that. It was a sign of the connection we share. You are all a part of this team.<\/p>\n Kick off 8pm.<\/p>\n