Arsenal should overcome their 2-0 deficit against Real Madrid in the Women’s Champions League quarter-finals, says former Lioness Izzy Christiansen.
The Gunners lost their first leg when they travelled to the Spanish capital last week after goals from Linda Caicedo and Athenea del Castillo.
Renée Slegers’ side host the Spanish club at the Emirates on Wednesday to try and overturn the result.
Izzy Christiansen: “They are more than ready to do what they need to do”
Christiansen, who won the Champions League with Lyon in the 2018/19 season, told FourFourTwo: “Being at the Emirates will definitely will play a part in gathering momentum, the thing for Arsenal is to score early and they can then really generate momentum and get Real Madrid on the back foot.
“Over two legs I expected them to beat Real Madrid, I still think they can, it’s possible. The way they played in the WSL on Saturday against Liverpool would tell me they are more than ready to do what they need to do.”
Arsenal beat Liverpool 4-0 in the top-flight this past weekend. The other two English teams still in the Champions League played one another on Sunday in the WSL and it had a controversial outcome.
Chelsea won 2-1 against Manchester City but the Sky Blues had an earlier goal ruled out which should not have been which FourFourTwo believes should have stood.
Christiansen believes that result has “teed up this second leg of the quarter-final very nicely at Stamford Bridge”.
The game between the Blues and City on Thursday will end a four-match run of the two clubs playing one another. City ended Chelsea’s unbeaten run in all competitions in the first leg, beating them 2-0, meaning the Blues have all the work to do.
Christiansen added: “You do expect Chelsea to be dominant, I think Man City have shown how much quality they have got.
“Their interim manager Nick Cushing, I know what he is capable of tactically so I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a few tricks up his sleeve.”
In the WSL, Chelsea are eight points clear of second-place Arsenal and so the more thrilling race this season is the relegation battle.
Crystal Palace are currently bottom but Christiansen believes there is another team who should be worried about facing the drop.
She said: “I think Aston Villa are in jeopardy, it is a very precarious situation for both clubs. I think Palace may have been expecting to be there, whereas Villa absolutely not. that shock definitely means Villa might be put on the backfoot.
“Palace beat Villa to get themselves in this situation with a point between them. Palace have shown under their new manager they can do something out of the ordinary whereas it feels like Villa are on a little bit of a decline and it could get messy for them.
“They have a real job to pinch together and get some sort of momentum where they can get some performances and results but it is going to be very tight and I would be surprised if it goes to the wire.”
Christiansen was speaking after surprising girls at Sandbach High School before their team play at Wembley in the Utilita Girls Cup against Surbiton High School on 13 April.
The former Everton star said it was “heartwarming” to see the young players faces when she turned up and she was impressed with their skills during a training session she took part in.
Christiansen added these opportunities for young girls to be amongst former players is something she would have loved when she was younger.
She said: “My pathway had to really come about with great care and intent with my parents who supported me along the way. But now with academy and school football improving, the participation has gone through the roof.
“It is massively increasing these organic opportunities for these girls to play football and be a part of this cup competition is so exciting for them.”
