Renee Slegers describes Arsenal’s latest UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) scheduling clash with the men’s team as a “bump in the road” for the club’s wider women’s football strategy.
The Gunners came under fire this week for revealing they’d been forced to move their UWCL match against Bayern Munich on 18 December away from the Emirates, in favour of the men’s team who are up against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.
Interim head coach Renee Slegers has since spoken out about the diary clash, claiming it’s a “hard dilemma for the club”. She explained: “This is a small bump in the road, what Arsenal have done for women’s football over time is very strong.”
We are liaising with UEFA and further details regarding our UWCL match against Bayern Munich will be announced in due course.
This is following the scheduling of the Carabao Cup quarter-final on December 18 at Emirates Stadium. pic.twitter.com/4Ulu7DS69w
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) November 6, 2024
90min understands that Arsenal are in ongoing with talks with UEFA to find a suitable location for the match. However, uncertainty remains rife as Meadow Park, Arsenal’s previous home venue and the obvious alternative does not currently meet UEFA regulations.
The north-London club are understandably under even more scrutiny for the decision, after making a clear point ahead of the 2024/25 Barclays Women’s Super League campaign that the Emirates Stadium would become the new main home for their women’s team. At the time, they announced the stadium would host at least eight WSL games and at least three Champions League fixtures.
Arsenal are sitting second in their group, after losing 5-2 to Bayern Munich in Germany but beating Valerenga 4-1 last month at home. They will be looking for a vital next victory over Juventus at the Emirates on 21 December, after accruing the same number of points as the Italian side so far.
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