Match report
That’ll do for tonight – Suzanne Wrack will have her match report with you very soon indeed. Two heavy defeats in four days for Arsenal, but they’ll get back on the WSL horse against Leicester on Sunday. Thanks for your company!
Arsenal keeper Manuela Zinsberger speaks, philosophically: “Never lose your smile! Keep thinking forward, the team needed me but as the team need me I need the team too. We just have to think about the game today and take the process. Think about the next game and move forward. I think we did quite good but we can do better, we know what Arsenal can achieve.”
Barca boss Jonatan Giráldez speaks: “I think the performance was brilliant, we created many chances in the 90 minutes, the spirit of the players was beautiful and I am very proud. We want more, it’s not enough for us, we have to keep improving and keep growing. It’s an honour for us to play here.”
Fridolina Rolfo, the Swedish left-back who scored the goal of the game, speaks: “We wanted to control the ball and dominate. It felt like our match plan worked today. It felt like they had a really low block and we weren’t prepared for that but it felt like we could keep the ball even more in front of them so it was good for us. I think we could have scored more goals today, we had chances. It’s not that often that I shoot with my right foot so I was surprised but at the same time so happy.”
Eidevall will no doubt have his regrets about Arsenal’s performance – they never got near Barca, even if Mead could have scored late on, but they made it even easier with their errors and might have had a bigger shout if Beattie hadn’t erred for the first goal. That said, they were beaten 713 to 226 on passes – which tells you about the visitors’ level of control. Losing to Barcelona is no embarrassment, they are just so ridiculously good.
On the plus side, it would take a heavy defeat in Hoffenheim – a five-goal reverse, in fact – to deny Arsenal progress, and I doubt that’ll happen. So it’s not the end of the world!
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Full-time: Arsenal 0-4 Barcelona
Comprehensive. Barcelona were several classes apart out there.
90+2 min: McCabe works space in the box and has a shot deflected into the side netting for a corner – is that Arsenal’s first? Either way, Barca deal with it.
90+1 min: There will be four minutes of added time and Mead is booked, I think for dissent, in the first of them.
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90 min: Catley tackles Graham Hansen and Barca have a late corner. Putellas plays into the edge of the box and Bonmati’s clipped cross is headed behind. Another flag kick is the outcome but Zinsberger punches this one away and Arsenal clear their lines.
87 min: Bonmati, who has had a superb game on and off the ball, should do better than volley wide of the near post when a diagonal ball finds her all alone.
85 min: We will see one more Barca change, the excellent Rolfo coming off and Serrano coming on.
82 min: Mead is in on goal and has Arsenal’s best chance by a mile ... but Panos saves with her right leg! The crowd deserve a moment to savour tonight and that should have been it. At the other end, Rolfo is inches from converting Graham Hansen’s tempting delivery.
80 min: A change apiece – Barca bring on Ouhabi for Caldentay, while Arsenal replace Beattie with Boye Sorensen.
78 min: Graham Hansen, superb since she came on, is challenged heavily by Mead but unhurt. Barca are hunting a fifth here.
Goal! Arsenal 0-4 Barcelona (Hermoso, 75)
Graham Hansen gets in down the right, Zinsberger gets hand on her low centre, but Hermoso – untidily, but ultimately she won’t care – gets it across the line from an angle via several touches. The move’s genesis came 10 or 15 seconds earlier when Miedema finally got the ball but, deep inside her own half, was crowded out and robbed by two Barca players. They are relentless.
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73 min: Again a miracle escape! Rolfo, my player of the match, crosses to the far post and Zinsberger makes a brilliant double save, repelling Graham Hansen’s header and *somehow* repelling Hermoso’s blasted follow-up. The latter dealt the keeper a hefty blow near the ribs and she’s taking her second bout of treatment – but now she’s up.
70 min: Arsenal deal – just about – with a succession of balls into their box from either flank. Yet to see Miedema involved in the game.
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68 min: Graham Hansen goes down in the box but is told to get up by the referee. Will either of these sides be enlivened by their changes? The game has lulled somewhat.
65 min: Here are those Barca replacements – it’s Fernandez for Torrejon, Syrstad Engen for Crnogorcevic and Graham Hansen for Martens. It’s great to see Graham Hansen back after her recent heart problems.
64 min: Best half-chance yet for Arsenal as Mead crosses accurately from the left and Parris, stealing in at the far post, can’t get enough power on her header to beat Panos.
63 min: Arsenal are, to their credit, still going after the ball and force a loose pass. We’ll see some Barca subs shortly – they are entirely comfortable, if not quite busting a gut to score more.
61 min: Walti’s first act is to be booked for clipping for Hermoso. She looks as if she can’t believe it and, to be fair, she may have taken the ball.
60 min: Arsenal make that triple sub, so let’s see if this perks them up! Miedema, Walti and Iwabuchi are on for Foord, Nobbs and Maanum.
59 min: Now Mead collides with Putellas and is in some pain, while Arsenal ready a triple sub. She’s sitting up and appears to be alright.
57 min: Arsenal are pegged back again but survive, Mead tracking back well to rob Putellas.
55 min: Foord and the crowd cry plaintively for a penalty after a rare sustained attack from Arsenal, but it’s optimistic to say the least.
53 min: How does that stay out? Torrejon’s clipped effort hits the bar and Rolfo should bury the rebound, but Beattie – I think – blocks and it rolls just wide. It ought to be four.
51 min: Miedema is among those warming up intensively, alongside Iwabuchi and Walti, so I imagine we’ll see changes soon. Arsenal meanwhile get a great chance to break but Mead and Foord don’t time it well and the latter is offside.
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50 min: It’s as if Barca have an extra player or two on the pitch. When Arsenal do try to go forward they are all over them. They’re everywhere.
48 min: Barca show no immediate sign of letting up and win a corner down the right, which is cleverly played into Bonmati. Her centre is cleared but she soon gets the chance to let fly from 15 yards, only to see it go over.
Peeeep! Second half underway
Barca kick off, and Arsenal hope to at least stem the tide. As a reminder, they are 3-0 down.
Arsenal keep Barca waiting before coming out for the second half. No sign of Miedema or any other changes yet.
Adam Kline-Schoder emails his thoughts:
“The only thing I can think of to say so far is blindingly obvious: Barcelona are so good. I try to watch the WSL when I can, and although I certainly wouldn’t consider myself a women’s football aficionado I like to think I can recognise Arsenal and their style. My impression of them is dazzling at times going forward, and with a soft spot at the back. You have to metaphorically flip them over first, but once you do you can just walk right through them – something Barça have done with casual ease, and almost never happens in the WSL.
“Barça have full-backs who are high and wide, they all play one or two touch, have forwards who drop off to create space, and a keeper who isn’t afraid to come out of her box; all the hallmarks of the modern game. I think this experience will be chastening for Arsenal, but I really hope they can channel this disappointment into continuing to grow the WSL and the women’s game in general. If this Barcelona is the future of women’s football, well, I can’t wait!”
That last sentence is well worth repeating!
Hoffenheim have won 2-1 in Koge in the other game in Arsenal’s group. As things stand, the Germans could knock Arsenal out on 15 December but they would have to win by – as far as I can make out – seven goals. So only a fair few more for Barca here really puts Arsenal’s hopes in jeopardy.
There are men’s Europa League and Conference League games going on as we speak – check out our clockwatch with Barry Glendenning:
One thing to say, though, is that Barca only broke through when Beattie played that soft pass near halfway. Until then they had been well in control but not exactly tearing Arsenal apart at will. That error really took the wind out of Arsenal’s sails and it’s been a long way back ever since.
Half-time: Arsenal 0-3 Barcelona
It’s no particular shame for Arsenal because Barcelona are brilliant and a joy to watch, but we have to be honest: this is no contest.
Goal! Arsenal 0-3 Barcelona (Rolfo 45+1)
What a goal from the very, very impressive left-back! She’s been a constant outlet but this is quite something. Martens almost gets a chance to score at the far post but Arsenal think they’ve cleared ... then Rolfo assumes possession just outside the area on the left, takes what appears to be the long way inside, and bends a sensational strike around Zinsberger with her supposedly weaker right foot! Game over if it wasn’t already.
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45 min: Panos dashes 20 yards outside her area to clear after Arsenal half-threaten with a pass up the right. The Gunners will want to get in at half-time and look at how to simultaneously shore things up and get back into the game. Easy huh?
43 min: A few stretches later, Zinsberger seems to be ok.
42 min: Zinsberger, who hasn’t had much time to relax in this half, has to take treatment for an injury. Eidevall takes that opportunity to give Nobbs some prolonged, animated coaching by the side.
39 min: Crnogorcevic takes down a Putellas chip with Zinsberger off her line, but her touch takes her away from goal. Then she gets a better chance at the near post but clips high and wide. No sign of a way back for Arsenal here.
37 min: It’s another of those periods where Arsenal can’t get close to the ball. Barcelona are just on another planet from everyone else, it’s pretty clear.
35 min: Caldentey is off target with an ambitious pop from range, but again Barca had sliced through Arsenal with relative ease.
33 min: Mead squanders a great chance to play Parris in, Rolfo intercepting.
32 min: Eidevall, arms folded, cuts a concerned figure on the touchline. Arsenal have responded fairly well to going two down but the key is not to let this game completely run away from them now.
30 min: Parris tries to create something for Arsenal and drags wide, Putellas being booked for something or other in the aftermath.
Goal! Arsenal 0-2 Barcelona (Hermoso, 28)
Rolfo, the energetic left-back, scampers down the line and clips across accurately. Hermoso is totally unmarked six yards out and, while her finish isn’t the cleanest, it’s enough to squirm past a disappointed Zinsberger. The gulf in class is showing here.
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28 min: Zinsberger saves from Martens after more intricate stuff, but the flag is up – very, very marginally, as replays show.
27 min: Barca’s tails are up and they are playing some lovely stuff. Their latest move ends with a Zinsberger catch at the back post. Then Foord, isolated up top, is booked for a rash challenge near halfway.
24 min: One thing you *cannot* do against opponents like this is make unforced errors. A shame for Beattie, who had started solidly but was entirely culpable there.
Goal! Arsenal 0-1 Barcelona (Bonmati, 22)
Oh dear ... Arsenal get some possession and Beattie, just inside her own half, has the ball under little pressure. But her attempted square pass is underhit and Bonmati steals in, with Zinsberger and the covering Catley to beat. She seems for a moment to have delayed her shot too long, but gets it away and finishes clinically. A gut punch for the hosts.
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21 min: More clever, probing Barca possession but more resolute, canny defence from Arsenal. They are not giving too much away ... and when Barca do manufacture a shot, Mariona Caldentey shoots straight at Zinsberger from 25 yards. Then there’s a yellow card for Torrejon, quite rightly, after a crunching tackle on Mead.
18 min: Counters will be key for Arsenal tonight, because they won’t get much sustained possession. But their shape looks decent and there’s only really been one near miss so far despite a string of Barcelona crosses.
15 min: Beattie took a knock from that set-piece, but she’s made of tough stuff and is up and about.
14 min: Save from Zinsberger! Bonmati steals in to head for goal and the keeper, diving to her left, does superbly to claw it round. Arsenal survive a bout of pinball from the resulting corner.
13 min: Arsenal press Barca high in their own half but the visitors are so, so composed on the ball and manage to work it all the way into the Gunners’ area under extreme duress. They get a corner out of it but Beattie heads away.
10 min: Parris, nominally Arsenal’s wide right forward, is effectively operating as a second right-back in these early stages. But now Arsenal do come forward and Nobbs, seeing half a chance to shoot, floats an effort respectably over from 30 yards.
9 min: First glimmer of a goalscoring opportunity there, as Hermoso can’t get meaningful contact on a near-post cross from the right. She might have done a bit better, but the angle and body position were awkward.
7 min: Barca look slick and precise, dominating now as they tend to. Beattie has to concede a corner after a smart move down the left. Martens plays it short and takes the return pass, but Mead takes a blow as the cross eventually comes in and Arsenal win a free-kick.
5 min: Parris fouls Rolfo in a dangerous position and Barca take it quickly – too quickly, because they end up contriving a needless offside.
3 min: Mead earns appreciative noises by taking a long Zinsberger pass out of the sky near the touchline.
2 min: Some good early possession for Arsenal, but it doesn’t really bring an attack. Barcelona then get a prolonged feel of the ball for themselves.
Peeeep! Off we go!
Arsenal, left to right if you imagine your telly, kick off after a well-applauded taking of the knee.
Fred Decker emails: “I selfishly want this fixture to become a great rivalry, just because it has such potential for a Hollywood Power Couple Portmanteau Nickname of the ‘Bennifer’ variety. What do you think: ‘Barçenal’? ‘Arselona’? I feel the latter has more potential, if only because the fans can sing it to the tune of ‘My Sharona’.”
And now out they come ... there are more than 12,000 fans in there, populating the lower two tiers, and they’re making a healthy racket. Arsenal are in their usual getup; Barca in yellow away shirts with diagonal red stripes.
The teams are lining up in the Emirates tunnel ... and it sounds like a cracking atmosphere out there in the stands.
And one last plug before we start – our top 100 female footballers ranking is down to the final 11. Enjoy!
Recognise a few names in that Barca lineup? You should do, particularly that of the brilliant Lieke Martens. Suzanne Wrack interviewed her a few years back:
Barcelona won the first iteration of this fixture, in October, at a canter – in case you want an idea of the task Arsenal face.
Bold move – as yet unexplained – from Jonas Eidevall to put his star striker, Vivianne Miedema on the bench. Jordan Nobbs, Caitlin Foord and Nikita Parris all come into the starting XI.
The last time Arsenal Women (Ladies) played at home to Barca. The game kicked off on a weekday afternoon because Meadow Park’s floodlights didn’t meet UEFA standards. The game was played in front of 662 spectators. Tonight> Emirates Stadium 👊👊👊 pic.twitter.com/yHaQpHU654
— Tim Stillman (@Stillberto) December 9, 2021
Times are changing for the better.
Teams – Miedema on the bench for Arsenal!
Arsenal: Zinsberger; Maritz, Beattie, Catley, McCabe; Maanum, Little, Nobbs; Parris, Foord, Mead. Subs: Williams, Wubben-Moy, Patten, Miedema, Wälti, Boye Sørensen, Schnaderbeck, Iwabuchi, Goldie.
Barcelona: Panos; Torrejon, Paredes, Pereira, Rolfo; Bonmati, Alexia, Mariona; Crnogorcevic, Hermoso, Martens. Subs: Coll, Font, Fernandez, Melanie, Pina, Graham Hansen, Ouahabi, Syrstad Engen, Perez, Vignola.
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Hello
Thursday night is ... an absolute humdinger of a Women’s Champions League tie at the Emirates!
What a test this will be for Arsenal in front of a bumper crowd on a brisk, crisp December night. They’re up against the holders, of course, and know that a point would *guarantee* their presence in the knock-out stages. In reality it would take quite a turn of events for them to fall out out of the top two, with one game left after this and a six-point, four-goal head-to-head gap with third-placed Hoffenheim – but they can look upwards too, and could even put some serious heat on top spot with a heavy win.
However it pans out, what a fine occasion this should prove – and what a venue at which to watch two elite sides battle it out. Arsenal will be eager to cast aside their FA Cup final no-show against Chelsea and prove that they can trouble Europe’s elite when the going gets really spicy after Christmas – while Barcelona, who have comfortably outdone their men’s counterparts by the mere act of remaining in this competition, are ready to show they’re a class apart once again.
Kick-off is at 7pm UK time – do send in your emails, tweets, observations, predictions, hopes and dreams.
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