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Arsenal enter the Women’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Chelsea with confidence high and momentum strong. The London rivals meet at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, where recent form, home advantage and Alessia Russo’s goals all add belief that the Gunners can shape the tie before the return at Stamford Bridge.

Russo has been central to that belief. The forward leads the 2025-26 Women’s Champions League scoring charts with seven goals so far. That contribution has driven Arsenal into the last eight and given Renee Slegers’ team a reliable focal point in attack whenever chances appear in tight European matches.

Russo is on the verge of setting new history for English players in this competition. One more goal will move Russo clear for the most strikes by an English player in a single Women’s Champions League season. Among Women’s Super League clubs, only Vivianne Miedema with 10 in 2019-20 and Kim Little with nine in 2009-10 have scored more in one campaign.

The variety of Russo’s finishing also stands out. Russo has already scored twice with headers, three times with the right foot and twice with the left in this season’s tournament. Across the last five Champions League campaigns, only Kadidiatou Diani in 2023-24 and Marie-Antoinette Katoto in 2021-22 had previously managed at least two goals with each of those methods.

“I’m just enjoying football,Russo told reporters. We’ve got so many great players that I get to play with week in, week out. When you get to this point of the season,you know what you’re going to get from your team-mates and how you can best set them up in different areas. I think the whole team in general is in a really good place. Training is fun, and we’re performing well in the games as well. Hopefully that continues, but I’m feeling good and confident and very happy in this team.”

Arsenal already hold a mental edge over Chelsea this season. In Women’s Super League action, Chelsea failed to win either league fixture against the Gunners, recording one draw and one defeat. Chelsea have not gone three or more matches in one season against the same opponent without a victory since 2018-19, when Manchester City held them across four games.

History in north London still favours Chelsea in one key area. Chelsea have only been beaten twice in their last 14 away matches against Arsenal in all competitions, winning eight and drawing four of those visits. Despite Arsenal’s strong recent form, the Opta supercomputer rates Chelsea as having a 37.5% chance of taking a first-leg lead back to Stamford Bridge next Wednesday.

Arsenal vs Chelsea Women’s Champions League: European records and tactical focus

Arsenal carry mixed Champions League quarter-final records into this tie. The club are unbeaten across their last five European matches and seek a sixth straight victory in the competition for only the second time, having previously done so in 2012-13. Yet Arsenal have failed to win the first leg in each of their last four two-legged quarter-finals, with one draw and three defeats since beating Torres in 2012-13.

Those quarter-final struggles echo an older all-English encounter. This tie with Chelsea is only Arsenal’s second Champions League meeting with another English side. In 2013-14, the Gunners lost both quarter-final legs against Birmingham City, going down 1-0 away and 2-0 at home. Slegers’ squad now have the chance to change that pattern against domestic opposition.

“We’ve looked at a lot of things that can try and break Chelsea down,” Russo added.We’reaware that they’re a top side and used to competing at the highest level, but so are we. So we’re prepared, feeling good, we’ve had a good few days of diving into them and looking at where we can hurt thembut also being ready for what they’re going to offer, too.”

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“Obviously, we had an amazing season last year in the Champions League and won it previously as well. I feel grateful that Arsenal have that history. But it’s now a new season, times change and all our focus is on doing it again. We love that feeling of winning the trophy in Lisbon. I think every player will say they want to experience that all over again, and it’s not easy. We’re proud of what we’ve done in the past, but now we just want to do it all over again.”

With Russo in top form, a deep scoring record within the squad and detailed preparation for Chelsea complete, Arsenal approach Tuesday’s first leg believing that recent progress can continue. The statistics underline both opportunity and risk, yet the current mood around Slegers’ team suggests a group ready for another major European test.

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