powered into the Women’s Champions League quarter-finals with a gritty 3–1 win over , sealing a dominant 7–1 aggregate triumph despite a night of wind, rain and resistance at Meadow Park

Alessia Russo was the star of the show, striking twice, while Mariona Caldentey kept her cool from the spot to steer the Gunners into a blockbuster last-eight showdown with . Leuven briefly threatened a twist when Sara Pusztai’s close-range effort was awarded after VAR overturned an offside call, but Arsenal never lost control.

It could have been another rout when spun sharply and fired home after 23 minutes. Instead, the Belgian champions made it messy, forcing errors and testing Arsenal’s resolve on a chopped-up pitch lashed by rain and gusts of wind.

Goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar was called into action early to deny Jada Conijnenberg, while Arsenal rotated their XI with Smilla Holmberg, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Russo starting, and Emily Fox and Leah Williamson named among the substitutes.

Now comes a mouth-watering all-English clash.
First leg: March 24 or 25 at the Emirates Stadium
Second leg: April 1 at Stamford Bridge

“So exciting – and a team we know so well,” Russo said after the match. “Two top teams fighting for a semi-final place. It’s unreal.”

Unbeaten against Chelsea in the WSL this season and riding a wave of European confidence, Arsenal march on—battle-hardened by the storm and ready for war in London.