After some days of heavy admin (!), Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final at home to Lyon has finally been set for Sunday, 26 April at 3.30pm at Arsenal Stadium. The return leg will take place on Saturday, 2 May at 3pm CET at OL Parc.
The date for the home leg has taken some time to set due to the London Marathon on April 26, two FA Cup semi-finals to arrange at Wembley Stadium over the same weekend and the presence of the Arsenal men’s home game against Newcastle United provisionally arranged for 5.30pm on Saturday, 25 April.
Add in the UEFA requirement that the away team be allowed the opportunity to train on the home team’s pitch the day before a UEFA tie and it has all been a bit of a headache! One of the FA Cup semi-finals, Leeds v Chelsea, will take place at Wembley on the same day and this is considered a fixture where high police presence is required, putting strain on the local police force. Women’s football games tend to require far fewer police.
Tickets for Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final second leg are available here.