Arsenal's Matildas face Champions League battle after defeat on 'disgrace' of a pitch against Real Madrid

Arsenal Women suffered a 0-2 defeat to Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, leaving their chances of progressing to the semi-finals hanging in the balance. The team's three Australian internationals, Catley, Cooney-Cross, and Foord, face a significant challenge to turn the tie around.

The condition of the pitch at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano became a major talking point after the match. Arsenal legend Ian Wright publicly criticized the pitch on social media, describing it as "absolutely dreadful," highlighting the impact it had on the game.

In the match, Catley started as a defender, and Cooney-Cross played in midfield. Foord came on as a substitute in the second half. However, Arsenal struggled to play their natural game on the waterlogged pitch amid heavy rain, conceding a goal in the 22nd minute. A misplaced pass by Cooney-Cross led to an interception, and a misjudgment by England captain Williamson on Bruun's pass allowed Caicedo to calmly score.

Foord's introduction in the second half injected energy into Arsenal's attack, and she had a shot on goal in the 53rd minute. The positive performances of Foord and fellow substitute Kelly put pressure on the Real Madrid defense. However, just as Arsenal seemed poised to equalize, another midfield error resulted in a turnover of possession.

Subsequently, Del Castillo found space to shoot on the edge of the box, and Zinsberger, who should have saved the shot, fumbled the ball, allowing it to roll into the net. Currently, Arsenal trails league leaders Chelsea by eight points in the Women's Super League and has already been eliminated from domestic cup competitions, making the Champions League their last hope of winning a trophy this season.

In another match that evening, Lyon, coached by Joe Montemurro and featuring Carpenter, played away against Bayern Munich. Carpenter is the only Australian female player to have won a major European club competition. Chelsea will travel to face Fowler's Manchester City on Wednesday, and with key forwards Shaw and Fujino Aoba injured, Fowler will bear more responsibility.

On the same day, Wolfsburg will host defending champions Barcelona. The second leg of the quarter-finals will take place next week, with Arsenal hosting Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, where they will be looking to overturn the deficit.