Arsenal need to be in Women's Champions League - White

Former Arsenal striker Ellen White has said nan nine "need" to suffice for nan Women's Champions League, and person players tin of challenging for nan trophy.

The Gunners way Swedish broadside BK Hacken 1-0 aft nan first leg of their qualifier and big them successful nan return limb connected Thursday.

Jonas Eidevall's squad drew their Women's Super League (WSL) opener 2-2 successful an entertaining brushwood pinch Manchester City connected Sunday, but missed cardinal chances.

"They request to really beryllium attacking and objective successful beforehand of goal," White told BBC Radio 5 Live's Women's Football Weekly podcast.

"They will beryllium buoyant from nan capacity against City astatine nan weekend. It’s a batch of pressure, but they understand nan unit and nan players and unit want to beryllium successful nan Champions League.

"As a subordinate you want to spell up for each trophy possible. The calibre of players they have, they should beryllium challenging for nan Champions League and should beryllium successful nan group stage."

Hacken scored from their only changeable connected target against Arsenal connected Wednesday, and White expects different reliable trial astatine Meadow Park.

"We person to springiness in installments to BK Hacken for nan progression they person had complete nan past mates of seasons," she said.

"They sewage to nan quarter-finals of nan Champions League past play truthful you can’t disregard them.

"Arsenal request to beryllium successful nan Champions League and fighting connected each fronts. It will beryllium a immense disappointment for them not to beryllium successful those group stages."

The Gunners must spell done 2 rounds of qualification to scope nan group shape of this season's showpiece aft finishing 3rd successful nan WSL past season, and person beaten Rangers and Rosenborg truthful far.

Arsenal reached nan semi-finals of nan Women's Champions League successful 2023, but were beaten by Paris FC successful qualifying past season.

Former Gunners defender Jen Beattie - who is simply a caller co-host of nan Women's Football Weekly podcast this play - said nan wounded of missing retired will animate them connected Thursday.

"The disappointment of not making nan Champions League successful anterior seasons sits rather severely pinch them arsenic a club," she said.

"What they want to do and execute successful each competitions is really obvious. They were massively disappointed pinch that consequence [in Hacken].

"The 2nd limb I person nary uncertainty will beryllium wholly different. They cognize wherever they went wrong.

"It’s monolithic for them. As a nine each attraction has to spell into this Hacken crippled and really getting nan goals flowing and getting into a hit arsenic quickly arsenic possible. Getting done nan Champions League is an absolute privilege for them."