Renée Slegers praised her Arsenal players for turning theory into action after they overturned a two-goal first‑leg deficit against Real Madrid to roar into the Champions League semi-finals with a 3-0 home victory.
“The result is a credit to everyone, staff and players,” Slegers, the Arsenal manager, said. “We’ve worked incredibly hard to prepare for this game.
“You can prepare everything in theory but to actually do it and execute it in this moment where you’re under so much pressure I think is so strong of the girls and is something we take with us.”
Three goals in 13 minutes shortly after the break confirmed the win, two from a rampant Alessia Russo and one from the former Barcelona midfielder Mariona Caldentey.
“You have to hold your hands up when the opponent is better,” the Real Madrid manager, Alberto Toril, said. “We needed to get to this point fresher, stronger and better prepared. I think we’re the team in Europe that has played the most matches.”
In the first leg Arsenal had had to contend with the rain-soaked Estadio Alfredo Di Stefáno, while at the Emirates Stadium they could move the ball and play their way, roared on by more than 20,000 fans. “Football is played on grass,” Slegers quipped when asked if the quality of the pitch made a difference.
On the impact of the crowd and how much of an advantage the Arsenal faithful bring, she said: “It’s the synergy we try to create. We have a responsibility to deliver a product that they want to be a part of and we need to create that energy and intensity and then they will give something back to us and that’s what happened tonight.”
In the semi-finals, Arsenal will play the eight-time European champions Lyon, who are led by their former manager Joe Montemurro. “They’re a top team, they’ve been at the top for a long time in Europe,” Slegers said.
“It’s going to be a tough challenge but we don’t shy away from a challenge, we look forward to it.”
