Missing out on Mary Earps, Alessia Russo's nightmare & so much hard work squandered: Why Arsenal's shock Women's Champions League exit is a disaster
After reaching the semi-finals against the odds last season, Arsenal's absence from the 2023-24 Women's Champions League is a serious blow
The tears that streamed down Manuela Zinsberger's face at full time told you everything you needed to know about the magnitude of Arsenal's defeat to Paris FC on Saturday.
In the second game of their Women's Champions League qualification tournament, victory over the French side would have put the Gunners a two-legged win away from progressing to the competition proper. But some comedy defending condemned Jonas Eidevall's side to an embarrassing, early exit.
Showing their trademark steely determination, Arsenal pulled themselves back from the abyss on two occasions, with goals from Jen Beattie and Alessia Russo sending the game to extra time and then penalties respectively.
But thanks to World Cup breakout star Chiamaka Nnadozie in the Paris FC goal, the underdogs triumphed in the shootout, with Russo and Frida Maanum seeing their efforts saved. Eidevall was quick to offer up an explanation for his side's underperformance after the game.
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