•Arsenal players yesterday
Arsenal coach Renee Slegers said her team were staying humble ahead of the women’s Champions League clash against holders Barcelona today, but fully believe they can cause a huge upset.
The Catalan giants have reached six of the last seven finals and won the competition three times, while Arsenal last made it in 2007 for their maiden victory, reports AFP.
Barca are on course for a repeat of last season’s quadruple but Arsenal hope to be the sand in the gears in the Lisbon showpiece.
“We want to show courage tomorrow… we respect Barcelona as a team, they are really, really difficult (to face),” Slegers told a news conference.
“So we are very humble for the occasion, but also, we are here to win — and we have to find ways to win.”
The 36-year-old coach, who turned around Arsenal’s season after being appointed in October, said her team had to be alert at all times against their all-conquering opposition.
“We need courage, we need discipline and we need to be switched on… and we have to believe in our capacity as well,” continued Slegers.
“Putting ourselves in a position to play this game tomorrow, it’s just (been) so much work, that’s us, but it’s all of us, it’s the people that have done this for such a long time.
“We’re so proud that all of us are going to do this tomorrow, and we’re going to go all-in, for this challenge that we look forward to so much.”
The Arsenal squad had lunch earlier this week with the team that won the 2007 UEFA Women’s Cup, and striker Alessia Russo said it was a “special” experience.
“Any player who plays for Arsenal understands that it’s a winning club, so ambitious, and wants to be at the top competing with the best,” said the forward, who was named as the football writers’ women’s player of the year earlier this month.
“We’re very aware of what’s come before us as well… we had lunch with some of the 2007 winners earlier in the week and to understand how much it still means to them is really special for us current players.”
‘Our standard’
The 26-year-old England international has been in excellent form in recent months, netting seven Champions League goals, only behind Barcelona’s Claudia Pino as the competition’s top goalscorer.
“We know Barcelona are a top side, they have won on the highest level consistently,” continued Russo.
“I have full belief in us as a team, we know what we are capable of.”
Arsenal lost against record eight-time winners Lyon in the first leg of their semi-final tie but bounced back with a remarkable 4-1 triumph in France to progress to the final.
“Belief is something we’ve spoken about a lot as a team, and we’ve also found a lot of ways to win this season,” said Russo.
“It’s been a season full of highs and lows and a lot of learning.
“That performance out in Lyon is something we want to hold with us, we want that to be our standard.
“It was special and it was a result where we needed to perform and we had no other choice, we wanted to go to the final.”
Skipper Kim Little scored in the first tie between these sides back in 2012, with Arsenal romping to a 7-0 triumph.
“I don’t have many memories from the games, but I know that my friend Jenny (Beattie) scored, and I scored in one of them as well,” said the Scottish midfielder, 34.
“I’m hoping to create more (memories) tomorrow.”
