The stakes are as high as they come for a season opener when we take on Rangers in a knockout fixture at Meadow Park at 7.30pm.
After our shootout heartbreak in last season's qualifying rounds, our Gunners are even more determined to progress this time around and bring European football back to north London.
A longer pre-season to embed new arrivals could prove especially important ahead of the tie, as both Rosa Kafaji and three-time winner Mariona Caldentey have Champions League experience to draw from.
If successful against Rangers, we'll then face the winner of Atletico Madrid and Rosenborg's semi-final on Saturday. That knockout match will decide which team progresses to Round 2.
"We’ve been going through the [qualification stages], so we know how it feels like to win the mini-tournament," reflected Jonas Eidevall ahead of the tie. "We know how it feels like to win the Round 2 Playoffs. We know how exciting it is to be in the group stage. We very much see ourselves as a European club, but we know it isn’t easy."
Founded in 2008 in partnership with Paisley City Ladies, Rangers were promoted to the Scottish Women's Premier League in their very first season and have worked their way into league contention since.
They became league champions during the 2021/22 season, securing a Champions League spot for the very first time. Victories over Ferencvarosi and PAOK saw the side through to Round 2 and they were just an extra-time period away from beating Benfica and reaching the group stages in 2022.
During the most recent campaign, Rangers finished second in the SWPL and bagged some silverware, winning both the Women's Scottish Cup and the SWPL Cup. The Scottish side are managed by former Lioness Jo Potter, who also spent a season with us at Arsenal.
Eidevall: "It’s knockout football, we need to bring our very best from the first second in the game to the very last, so there’s no underestimating opponents for us. We know how tricky of a stage this one is too, so we’re expecting a very good opponent and we’re going to do our absolute very best to try and progress.
"If you look at football as a global club phenomenon, the Champions League is what makes European football so special, and what makes the whole world want to come to Europe and compete.
"[Rangers] were very, very close to knocking out Benfica, who we know is a good European team, in last year’s qualifiers. They almost got there on extra time. I think their run in the Champions League last season deserves a lot of respect and we know that they are very capable of putting in good performances in these stages of the season."
Potter: “I think we have pulled out the highest-seeded team available in the draw so it is tough but that is what it is there for.
“The whole emphasis will be on [Arsenal] to beat us because that is probably what everybody expects so we have got to try and take a little bit of an advantage of that.
“We have had good conversations with the group and the players about how we are going to play, how we are going to set up, what that looks like and we are going to go down there and try to cause an upset.”
Beth Mead and Steph Catley missed Saturday's pre-season friendly against Southampton and the pair are not available for the UWCL tie.
"It’s a day-by-day thing," said Eidevall, in his pre-match press conference. "I think Beth is definitely getting very close to returning to the squad so she’s the next in line to return."
Whilst Lotte Wubben-Moy and Daphne van Domselaar also missed out on Saturday, they both participated in full team training on Tuesday.
Arsenal Dominate Rangers in Champions League Qualifier
Jonas Eidevall's side were without Beth Mead for this crucial game but her replacement down the right stole the show in a stunning display
Beth Mead's absence through Arsenal's final two games of pre-season and Wednesday's Champions League qualifier against Rangers raised one big question: Who is the back-up option on the right of this attack when the England star isn't available? Head coach Jonas Eidevall will have been delighted, then, with the player he chose to provide the answer on this occasion, as Caitlin Foord delivered four goals in an outstanding performance on her less-favoured side as the Gunners secured a convincing 6-0 win.
Arsenal were the favourites for this encounter but, just a few hours before kick-off, in-season Rosenborg stunned Spanish giants Atletico Madrid at the same ground, in the same qualifying group. The Gunners therefore knew they needed to be sharp to set up a meeting with the Norwegian side on Saturday, especially given Rangers have started their new season in flying, unbeaten form. That mindset was clear in Arsenal's performance, too, with them on it from the get go.
Mariona Caldentey, making her competitive debut after a summer switch from Barcelona, showed her quality early on as Foord headed in one of a number of teasing crosses delivered by the Spaniard. Kim Little dominated, with her gorgeous footwork and even better pass through setting up the Australia international for her second of the day. Within seconds, Alessia Russo's thumping finish made it three, Foord's best Robin van Persie impression completed her hat-trick and then Katie McCabe, whose cross produced the fourth goal, won a penalty late on that allowed Little to deservedly get on the scoresheet. There was even time for a fourth for Foord, from close-range in the dying seconds.
The Foord Show
GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Meadow Park... Arsenal moved on to the final of Round One in the UEFA Women's Champions League qualifying stage, where they will face off against Norwegian side Rosenborg BK on Saturday night at Meadow Park.
Six goals - four from Caitlin Foord, one from Alessia Russo and a goal from the spot for Kim Little silenced Jo Potter's Rangers side.
The Gunners learnt last season about the difficulties of the qualifying stage, failing to proceed to the group stage after falling at the hands of Paris FC.
Caitlin Foord opened the scoring for Arsenal, meeting Mariona Caldentey's cross and heading past Victoria Esson at the far post.
The 29-year-old grabbed her brace in the 59th minute, running in behind the Rangers defence and tucking her effort into the top corner.
Alessia Russo joined the party seconds later, scoring almost immediately after kick-off. The Lioness picked up the ball on the edge of the box and fired past Esson to ultimately seal the win for the Gunners.
Foord wasn't finished and made it three with a sensational volley in the 70th minute. The Australian leapt to meet Katie McCabe's cross and fired home in style.
Referee Rasa Grigoné was left to point to the spot after McCabe was brought down in the penalty area five minutes from full time.
Little stepped up as usual, convincingly disposing the penalty into the top left, beyond Esson's reach.
If five weren't enough, Foord added four to her tally, finishing off a rebound after Williamson's initial effort was saved.
A Dominant Display from the Gunners
Jonas Eidevall named one change to the side that started in their 3-0 win against Southampton at the weekend. Laia Codina replaced Katie Reid at the back, looking to find her feet in the back three.
Steph Catley and Beth Mead completed individual training sessions away from the first-team squad, but were deemed not fit enough to feature.
The visitors, coming off an outstanding 10-0 win against Dundee United, made five switches. Jo Potter elected for Victoria Esson in goal, with Leah Eddie, Kathryn Hill, Brogan Hay and Rio Hardy slotting into the outfield.
The Gunners started the game well, dominating on the right-hand side. Fox, Maanum and Caitlin Foord combined well, exposing Rangers' backline within the first five minutes.
Fox's curling ball searching for Russo was the first test for Esson in between the sticks for the Gers, but her defence bailed her out, clearing their lines.
Arsenal's early dominance prevailed, with Caitlin Foord breaking the deadlock for the hosts in the 16th minute. Caldentey's diagonal to Foord was inch-perfect, and the 29-year-old's header couldn't be stopped by an outstretched Esson.
The hosts started to look more composed on the ball following the goal, with Kim Little and Kyra Cooney-Cross dictating play and combining well with the wingers on both sides.
Esson came out superior against Foord on the half-hour mark, when Katie McCabe's low-drilled cross found the feet of the Australian international, but the Gers' goalkeeper was able to parry the shot away on the goal line.
With no stoppages throughout the first half, the game petered out to a natural stop, with referee Rasa Grigoné blowing the whistle without the need for any additional time.
Arsenal started the second half as they did the first, with a beautiful cross from Leah Williamson intending for Frida Maanum in plenty of space at the back post. The Norwegian midfielder tried to take the cross on the volley, failing to execute it and grab a crucial, second goal.
Little's aggressive drive through the midfield opened up a shooting opportunity a few minutes later, but the 34-year-old saw her shot on target blocked by a Rangers defender and out for a corner kick.
On the cusp of an hour, Foord added to her goal to make it two-nil. The Australian winger beat the offside trap, receiving the ball from Little and curling an effort into the top-right corner.
However, Arsenal weren't quite done there.
With the North End at Meadow Park bouncing, the Gunners added a third moments after kick-off. Russo, who had been slowly growing into the game, made her mark with a lovely finish past Esson.
It could've easily been four for Arsenal, with Williamson heading marginally over off McCabe's free-kick.
Rangers continued to be caught out in the air, with Russo finding herself in plenty of space in the 67th minute. The former Manchester United forward couldn't get enough power on her header, with Esson catching the ball easily.
Foord completed the hat-trick in the 70th minute with an incredible volley off McCabe's cross, leaping and executing it to perfection. The goal was fitting for completing the milestone, connecting beautifully to beat Esson between the sticks.
Substitute Stina Blackstenius almost made an instant impact, with her effort on goal denied from point-blank range only minutes after coming on for Russo.
Arsenal continued to pile pressure and were awarded with a penalty when McCabe was fouled inside the area.
Little comfortably scored the spot kick, firing past Esson and into the top left corner, before celebrating with the team in front of the North Bank.
With only a minute left, Foord decided to make it four for herself, latching onto a loose ball after Williamson's shot on goal was parried into her path.
A Dominant Performance Sets the Tone for the Season
A comfortable and impressive six-goal victory sees Arsenal progress to play Rosenborg in the final of Round One.
