Barcelona v Arsenal: live stream details, how to watch, team news

Arsenal begin their UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage campaign with a trip to the Estadi Johan Cruyff to face Barcelona on Tuesday at 20.00 pm BST.

Jonas Eidevall’s side come into the match having defeated Aston Villa 4-0 on Saturday with Kim Little scoring a brace, in between strikes from Mana Iwabuchi and Katie McCabe.

The Gooners have won all four of their Women’s Super League fixtures this season and comfortably navigated past FC Okzhetpes, PSV and Slavia Prague in the earlier rounds to qualify for this stage.

In their way are 2020/21 UWCL winners Barcelona, who qualified automatically following their domestic and continental success.

Barca are under the leadership of Jonatan Giráldez, succeeding Lluís Cortés who led them to their first Champions League trophy.

Under Giráldez, Barca have won five out of their five Primera División fixtures this season, scoring 35 goals and conceding just once.

Arsenal have a difficult task ahead of them given the growth of Barca over the last few years, but the North London side in their last meeting with Barca, won 7-0 on aggregate over two legs back in 2012.

Captain Kim Little, vice-captain Jordan Nobbs and Jennifer Beattie both scored in those two matches and still play their football with Arsenal.

What’s the latest team news?

Utility player Viktoria Schnaderbeck had been sidelined with a long-term knee issue, but returned last week in a win over Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Women’s Cup. She was an unused substitute in the win over Aston Villa but the Austria captain will be pushing hard for a start.

It was a happy return to the Midlands for former Villain Mana Iwabuchi who scored after coming off the bench with manager Eidevall saying ‘made the difference’, her efforts could put her in line for a start tomorrow evening.

As always, Vivianne Miedema is Arsenal’s key to any success, given her history in the competition. The Dutch forward has finished joint-top scorer on two occasions and scored in all three of their inaugural group stage fixtures. She also had pedigree on the international stage and was involved in the Olympic Games earlier this summer, scoring ten goals.

What about the opposition?

In Barcelona’s match on Saturday, they scored nine past Alavés with nine different goalscorers, highlighting the obvious talent they have in their squad.

Captain Alexia Putellas, ranked as the joint-top scorer for Barca was only a substitute and failed to find the net, but it is expected she was being rested ahead of the UWCL clash. The 27-year-old midfielder has seven goals this season, as well as four assists and is hoping to match her efforts of last season, where she netted 18 times and assisted on 12 occasions.

Elsewhere in attack, Asisat Oshoala, captain of the Nigerian national team, is tied with Putellas on seven goals this season but has played 71 minutes fewer, boasting a better goals ratio.

At the other end of the field, it could prove difficult to break down goalkeeper Sandra Paños has been with Barca for seven seasons and on four occasions has won the awarded for the fewest goals conceded

Is the match on TV?

Subscribers of video-streaming service DAZN can watch on that platform or on DAZN’s UEFA Women’s Champions League YouTube channel, free-of-charge.

Commentary will be available in both English and Spanish and will see the launch of the We All Rise With More Eyes campaign which aims to make people aware of the UWCL.

An interview with former Arsenal manager Vic Akers O.B.E which will be shown, as well as other interesting pieces of content ahead of the match.

How can I watch highlights?

Depending on how action packed the game is, you can expect a five-minute highlights package to be uploaded to DAZN’s YouTube channel.