Real Madrid stunned Arsenal at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano to put themselves in control of their Women’s Champions League quarter-final tie. Goals in either half from Linda Caicedo and Athenea del Castillo earned the Spanish side victory in the first leg against Renée Slegers’ team.

This was the first competitive encounter between these sides and of the two the Gunners are the more experienced in European football. This is their 16th appearance at this stage of the competition (a joint record with Lyon) and they remain the only English winners. Real Madrid, in contrast, are in only their second Champions League quarter-final, a 8-3 aggregate loss to Barcelona back in 2022 their other showing in the knockouts.