The semifinal of the UEFA Women’s Champions League is back this weekend as Arsenal travels to Germany, where they face Wolfsburg in the first-leg fixture. Both teams are big names in Women’s football, but it is almost a decade since either of these teams won the Women’s Champions League. They would be eyeing a potential final against either Barcelona or Chelsea.
Wolfsburg Women continued their preparations for this tie with another big win in the Frauen-Bundesliga, this time it was a 3-0 win over MSV Duisburg as they sit top of the domestic league. They have been brilliant in their last two games, and they would be looking to make the most of their home advantage against Arsenal Women.
Arsenal Women’s unbeaten streak in the WSL came to an end against their rivals, Manchester United. They have dropped to third in the league following that defeat, but they can bounce back with a good result in Germany. Arsenal lost on their last visit to Germany last month, but they eliminated Bayern Munich on aggregate.
| ℹ️ Tournament: | UEFA Women Champions League 2022-23 Playoffs, Semi-final (1st Leg) |
| 🏟️ Venue: | Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg, Germany |
| 🗓️ Date: | 23 April 2023 |
| ⏰ Time: | 1:30 p.m. GMT on Sunday |
Wolfsburg has a richer history in this competition than Arsenal, and they are also playing at home, which makes them the favorite to win at 1.62 (8/13), while the Gunners are priced as underdogs at 5.00 (4/1) for a victory in normal time. The bookmakers are offering 4.00 (3/1) on a draw at full-time in the first leg.
As expected, the Women’s Champions League odds for qualification also favors VfL Wolfsburg as they are priced at 1.20 (1/5) to reach the UWCL finals, while Arsenal Women’s odds of a place in the next round are worth 3.50 (5/2).
Many sportsIn-play modeLive streaming25+ sportsSuperb bonusesEasy to useVIP programLive gamesMany bonusesMany bonuses24/7 supportMobile appsLive bettingMany sportsFast payoutsAside from their qualities, Wolfsburg Women have shown great character in this season’s Champions League, and they have not lost a game in this competition. Four wins and two draws in six games were enough for the Germans to finish top of Group B, and they are a very consistent team. They knocked out Paris Saint-Germain Feminine in the previous round, winning the tie 2-1 on aggregate, and they are one of the favorites to win the UWCL 2023.
Arsenal Women didn’t have much trouble in the group stage as they finished above the impressive Lyon team to reach the knockouts as group winners. They had four wins in the group stage, but unlike Wolfsburg, Arsenal Women has already lost twice in the UWCL. Arsenal Women recovered from a 1-0 defeat against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals as they turned the tie around in London to qualify with an aggregate score of 2-1.
Wolfsburg and Arsenal had their first meeting in the UEFA Women’s Champions League last year in the quarter-finals. The Germans got the better of Arsenal, beating them in Germany after a 1-1 draw in London.
VfL Wolfsburg: WWDLW
Arsenal: LWWWL
VfL Wolfsburg’s biggest challenge so far in the UEFA Women’s Champions League was against Paris Saint-Germain in the previous round, and they did just enough to reach the finals after a first-leg win in France. They are facing an Arsenal team that has not been so consistent this season, especially away from home, and they can wrap up this tie before the second game in London.
The hosts are unbeaten in this tournament and stronger at home, which is bad news for the Gunners, who have lost four of their last five matches away from home. Arsenal’s last visit to this Stadium was just over a year ago, and they are much weaker this time around, which should make things very easy for Wolfsburg.
In five of their last seven games, the hosts have scored in the first 45 minutes, and they have some that in three consecutive games heading into this fixture. Wolfsburg’s tempo in the first half is unmatched, and Arsenal isn’t a team that is capable of handling pressure. Four out of Arsenal’s last five games have seen them concede at least a goal in the first half, and the free-scoring Wolfsburg should get at least a goal in the opening 45 minutes. Backing Wolfsburg to score at least once in the first half is a very good bet on women’s football.
Ewa Pajor is the top scorer in the UEFA Women’s Champions League this season, and she is two goals clear at the top with seven goals in seven starts for VfL Wolfsburg. She didn’t play much against Paris Saint-Germain in the last UWCL match, but she has two goals in her last two games. Ewa Pajor would be eyeing the top prize as the highest goalscorer in this competition, and she should get at least a goal against Arsenal. Backing Wolfsburg’s number 17 to score is a very valuable option in this game.
Tommy Stroot has a wealth of attacking options to choose from in the game against Arsenal Women, and he is likely to go with Ewa Pajor as the lone striker. She scored a brace against Werder Bremen, and she was rested in the last 30 minutes of the game against MSV Duisburg. Lena Lattwein is completely ruled out of this game after suffering a broken collarbone.
Arsenal Women has been affected by injuries to key players, with Vivianne Miedema, Beth Mead, and Kim Little all ruled out of this game through injuries. Stina Blackstenius was impressed in attack and would be tasked with the goals on Sunday.
This is one of the biggest fixtures in the UWCL this week, and it is highly anticipated with a wide range of betting offers from the bookies. You can get the best out of this game by using our expert betting tips and predictions.
