Arsenal and Chelsea must show 'bravery' to make final of the Champions League

Chelsea and Arsenal can still reach the Women’s Champions League final, as long as they learn the lessons from their semifinal first-leg defeats, according to former England international Anita Asante.

- ISSY TRAPNELL-HOYLE

Both teams lost the first leg of their semi-finals, with Chelsea stunned in a 4-1 defeat by current holders Barcelona and Arsenal losing in a closer 2-1 game against Lyon at the Emirates.

Asante, who played for both Arsenal and Chelsea, does not rule out a comeback in either tie, but explained that the Blues will need to play with more control and show “bravery” at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

“They can’t start as slow as they did in the first leg,” Asante said. “They have to begin the game with energy and intensity and not allow Barcelona to get into their passing rhythm. I think a better coordinated understanding of where they want to set their traps in terms of their pressing game is going to be really important. On restarts, when the goalkeeper had the ball, for example, they could have been more aggressive in those moments.”