Women's Champions League: Vålerenga vs Arsenal facts

Arsenal travel to Oslo to take on Vålerenga on Matchday 5 of UEFA Women's Champions League Group C.

Both sides scored late goals at home on Matchday 4. Lina Hurtig's winner against Juventus secured Arsenal's passage to the quarter-finals thanks to a 1-0 victory, while Elise Thorsnes' equaliser earned Vålerenga a 1-1 draw against Bayern München, their first point of the group stage.

Arsenal will be confirmed in second place in Group C if they lose to Vålerenga and Bayern win at home to Juventus.

Previous meetings

The reverse fixture on Matchday 2 was a comfortable 4-1 win for Arsenal in London. Emily Fox (2), Caitlyn Foord (29), Mariona Caldentey (85) and Alessia Russo (90+3) were on target for the Gunners, Olaug Tvedten (35) scoring Vålerenga's first-ever group stage goal.

Form guide

Vålerenga

Record vs English clubs W0 D0 L1 F1 A4

The Matchday 2 loss at Arsenal was Vålerenga's first fixture against a team from England.

That loss was the second of three defeats with which Vålerenga began the group stage; their debut ended in a 0-1 reverse at home to Juventus, while they lost 0-3 at Bayern before snatching a 1-1 draw last time out.

The Norwegian side's Women's Champions League debut in 2020/21 was ended on penalties by Brøndby in the round of 32 after the match in Denmark had ended 1-1. The following season, they reached round 2 before being eliminated by Sweden's BK Häcken 3-6 on aggregate (1-3 h, 2-3 a).

Vålerenga again reached round 2 last season, firstly beating Minsk 3-1 and then edging past Celtic in dramatic fashion (2-2, 11-10 pens) after Elise Thorsnes' 123rd-minute spot kick had taken the game to penalties.

Their run was ended by Real Madrid in round 2, Vålerenga going down 1-5 on aggregate (1-2 a, 0-3 h).

Before losing on Matchday 1, Nils Lexerød's side had won their previous three matches in the competition this season, beginning with a 3-1 triumph over Farul Constanța on 7 September.

That set up a round 2 meeting with Anderlecht. Quick-fire goals from Michaela Kovacs (14) – who was later sent off – and Karina Sævik (16) earned a 2-1 win in Brussels on 18 September before Thea Bjelde (70), Janni Thomsen (75) and Sævik again (81) scored in a 3-0 second-leg win in Oslo a week later.

The Norwegian side's home record in all competitions in 2024 is W14 D2 L2.

Vålerenga recently won their third Norwegian Toppserien title, and second in a row, and concluded their domestic campaign on 24 November by lifting the Norwegian Women's Cup thanks to a 1-0 victory against Rosenborg.

Arsenal

Record vs Norwegian clubs W2 D0 L0 F5 A1

Aside from the Matchday 2 win, Arsenal's only other meeting with a Norwegian side came in round 1 this season, Frida Maanum scoring the only goal of a 1-0 final victory at home to Rosenborg on 7 September.

This will be the Gunners' first contest in Norway.

Arsenal lost 2-5 at Bayern on Matchday 1 but have recorded three straight Group C wins since Renée Slegers became interim head coach, against Vålerenga and Juventus (4-0 a, 1-0 h).

Arsenal were crowned champions of Europe in 2006/07 when they defeated Umeå in a two-legged final. Alex Scott's swerving effort from distance in the final moments of the first leg in Sweden was the only goal across both games.

The Gunners remain the only English club to win the competition. In addition to their 2007 triumph, they have reached the semi-finals on a further six occasions.

This is Arsenal's 17th participation in the Women's Champions League; they are in the group stage for a third time having missed out last season.

Their 2024/25 Women's Champions League journey began with a 6-0 win over Rangers on 4 September at Meadow Park, Foord scoring four, before they beat Rosenborg 1-0 in the round 1 final at the same venue three days later. In round 2, the Gunners lost 0-1 in the first leg away to Swedish side BK Häcken, but a 4-0 home victory in the second leg sent them into the group stage.

Arsenal's away record in all competitions in 2024/25 is W4 D1 L2.

Arsenal finished third in the Women's Super League last season, five points behind both Manchester City and champions Chelsea, but former coach Jonas Eidevall did lead them to a second consecutive FA Women's League Cup title.

Key facts

Vålerenga have lost only one of their last 12 home matches in all competitions (W9 D2).

Arsenal are aiming to win four successive Women’s Champions League games for the first time since 2021/22.

The English side have kept five clean sheets in their last eight European matches.

Arsenal have only failed to score in one of their last 13 Women's Champions League fixtures.