Arsenal Ladies return to action on Saturday when they take on Glasgow City in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at the Hive on Saturday.
The Gunners outclassed Kazakh side Kairat 18-2 on aggregate in the last round but will face a much stiffer test this time around. Glasgow are among the top 16 ranked teams in Europe and eased to the Scottish league title, finishing 20 points above runners-up Hibernian.
Manager Shelley Kerr knows a thing or two about the Scottish champions and is expecting both legs to be tight affairs.
"Training has been competitive and intense, which is brilliant, and they are ready for the game"
Shelley Kerr
“They [Glasgow] have international players from Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Wales and Scotland, “ Kerr told Arsenal.com. “They have been successful domestically in Scotland for many years.
“There is no surprise when you look at their coefficient that they have qualified for the last 16. That in itself tells you a lot about them as a club.
“We've had a lot of tough games throughout the season but that's the way it is when you play for Arsenal - everyone wants to beat you.”
It’s been more than three weeks since Kerr’s side were last in action with the majority of the squad taking part in World Cup qualifiers for England and Scotland. But Kerr thinks the break may act as an advantage for her side after completing their demanding domestic season in early October.
“We've prepared very well this week, training has been excellent," said Kerr. “We are conscious that we haven't had a game for a couple of weeks but I think sometimes that can help you because we've had plenty of rest.
“Training has been competitive and intense, which is brilliant, and they are ready for the game.
“We've got extremely talented players and the run that we've been on has been pretty good. We've finished the season very well and we've been playing good football.
A player the Gunners will have to watch out for on Saturday will be on-loan Wales captain Jess Fishlock. The forward joined Eddie Black’s side specifically for their Champions League games and Kerr is more than aware of her capabilities.
“Jess Fishlock has been bought in on loan for a reason - to help them get into the last eight," she said. "She will be a major threat - she's a fantastic talent.
“But we have to concentrate on our own players. It's more important that we know the right information about ourselves to get our own game plan right.
“I don't think playing at home first will be a disadvantage,” added Kerr. “Maybe in the men's game it will be a little bit different because of sell-out crowds.
“By all accounts Glasgow have sold out all their tickets but you're not talking about 50,000. But I don’t think it really matters whether you play at home or away first.
“As a group the girls are really keen on getting to the next round and that's what the players at the highest level want to be doing.
“I'm sure they will be doing everything in their power to win both games and get to the next stage of the competition.”
Tickets for Saturday's game at the Hive, Barnet FC, can be bought on the door for £5 adults and £2.50 for concessions.
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