Manuela Zinsberger urges Arsenal to overcome ‘hard hit’ in Women’s Champions League battle with BK Hacken
MANUELA ZINSBERGER wants Arsenal to avoid dwelling on past Champions League results ahead of their decisive push for a group stage spot.
However the Gunners will be without Leah Williamson with the defender ruled out of their clash with BK Hacken tomorrow.
The England skipper, 27, was placed in concussion protocol before her club’s WSL season-opening draw with City on Sunday.
Gunners boss Jonas Eidevall explained she sustained concussion during an incident in training.
The head coach said: “I don’t have a timeframe on Leah’s injury at the moment. It’s guided by our medical team.”
“When I have something more concrete to communicate, I will do that.”
Arsenal host Swedish outfit Hacken at Meadow Park tomorrow evening in a second-leg clash in the Women’s Champions League second round qualifiers.
Eidevall’s players require a win by two goals or more in order to reach the contest’s group stage, with their rivals having a 1-0 first-leg win advantage.
And much is riding on the result with club chiefs planning to host the team’s remaining duels in the contest at the Emirates this season.
Arsenal shot stopper Zinsberger, 28, said: “The Champions League should be motivation enough no matter what happened last season.
“I’m not a fan of talking about the past.
“I’m more a fan of looking forward and our motivation is as high as last season – I would say even higher.
“Our expectation is (reaching) the group stage or (going) even further, but taking it step-by-step.
“The motivation is high to win the game and turn it around and finally get to the group stages.”
Zinsberger, who made 18 top-flight appearances last term, was part of the Arsenal team beaten on penalties by Paris FC in the Champions League qualifying stage last September.
And she hopes to help her side see off Hacken in their battle for a group stage spot following the Gunners’ loss last Wednesday.
The Austria No1 added: “It’s important to learn (from that) and it was definitely a hard hit for us.
“We all hadn’t expected that one, but it definitely hit us the way it shouldn’t, but it was a big learning that you have to take every chance as it would be your last.
“With Hacken, we haven’t underestimated them, we’ve seen how good they are.
“But I don’t want to talk about them, for us we’ve got to perform and we have to be at our best.”
Tomorrow’s game comes three days before Jonas Eidevall’s side’s league trip to Leicester, having nabbed a point against Manchester City in their season opener.
With club chiefs committing to making the Emirates their main home for WSL and European fixtures this term, Eidevall is eager to see them progress.
The Arsenal boss adds: “It’s that pressure we put on ourselves that we need to get into the group stage, and that’s what we should do.”
Tomorrow’s match is likely to see Lotte Wubben-Moy and Laia Codina in central defence in the absence of Williamson.
Eidevall said: “Leah is a fantastic player and she would be missed by any team, but the strength of our squad is we have players like Manuela.
“We have Lotte and Codi (Codina) playing phenomenally well together.”