Arsenal boss Renee Slegers expecting the 'unorthodox' from Juventus in UWCL
Arsenal boss Slegers wary of Juventus' 'unorthodox' tactics in UWCL
Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall admits he is expecting the "unorthodox" from Juventus in their Women's Champions League quarter-final second leg. The Gunners take a 2-1 lead into the clash in Italy on Thursday after Stina Blackstenius' late winner in the first leg at Meadow Park last week. But Eidevall knows Juventus, who are bidding to reach the last four of the competition for the first time, will provide a stern test. "They are a very good team," said Eidevall, who led Arsenal to the final of the competition last season. "We saw that in the first leg. They are very well organised. They are a very physical team. They are very good on the counter-attack. "They have some very good individuals as well. Cristiana Girelli is a top striker. Barbara Bonansea is a top player. So we know that we need to be at our best to beat them." One of the things that makes Juventus so dangerous is their ability to play in different ways. They can play a traditional 4-4-2, but they can also switch to a 3-5-2 or even a 3-4-3. - Arsenal to face Juventus in UWCL quarter-finals - Juventus 1-2 Arsenal: Gunners edge closer to semi-finals - Blackstenius strikes late as Arsenal beat Juventus in UWCL first leg This unpredictability makes them a difficult team to prepare for. "They are a very unorthodox team," said Eidevall. "They have a lot of players who can play in different positions. They can change their formation very quickly. They can also play with different styles. They can play very direct or they can play very patiently. "So we need to be prepared for anything. We need to be able to adapt to whatever they throw at us." Despite the threat posed by Juventus, Eidevall is confident that Arsenal can progress to the semi-finals. "We have a good team," said Eidevall. "We have a lot of quality. We have a lot of experience. We know what it takes to win in this competition. "So we are confident that we can get the job done in Turin. We know it will be a tough game, but we are ready for the challenge."Arsenal's clash with Juventus is one of two quarter-finals taking place on Thursday. In the other game, Barcelona host Real Madrid in a repeat of last season's final. Barcelona are the defending champions and are heavy favorites to progress to the last four. Real Madrid, however, have already shown this season that they are capable of beating the best teams in Europe. They knocked out Manchester City in the group stage and then beat Lyon in the round of 16. So Barcelona will need to be at their best to avoid an upset. The quarter-finals conclude on Friday with Bayern Munich hosting Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain facing Lyon. All four quarter-finals are finely poised and there are no clear favorites to reach the last four. But one thing is for sure: there will be plenty of drama and excitement along the way.
