Resilience to excellence.
Arsenal’s journey to turning into Queens of Europe has been removed from easy. A season of setbacks, particularly within the Champions League, could be sufficient to interrupt most groups, however not Arsenal.
I have been fortunate sufficient to be across the group all week and all season. Once they mentioned they believed they might beat the all-conquering Barcelona you can inform it was real.
No facet has gone from the beginning of the Champions League qualifying rounds to the ultimate, by no means thoughts win the entire competitors.
They misplaced the primary leg in opposition to Hacken throughout qualifying however made it by means of. They misplaced 5-2 to Bayern within the group stage however made it by means of. They overcame deficits in opposition to Actual Madrid and Lyon within the knockout phases however made it by means of. And now they’ve gone from underdogs to prime canines in opposition to the perfect group on the continent.
It is much more exceptional contemplating how low the squad felt within the build-up to and after the departure of Jonas Eidevall. Enter the coach that can go down in Arsenal historical past…
“Renee Slegers, what a woman,” Chloe Kelly proudly mentioned to me after the sport.
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From almost taking a break from soccer to being a Champions League winner in Might. An emotional Chloe Kelly reveals she is going to at all times be thankful for Arsenal in what could possibly be her final sport for the membership
The England winger credit Slegers with saving her profession and she or he is not the one participant to see the Dutch coach because the saviour of Arsenal’s season.
When she took over in an interim capability the morale of the squad was decrease than it had been for years.
They’d dropped too many factors as early as October to be thought of lifelike WSL title contenders and their European desires hung by a thread.
Slegers got here in and instilled perception, confidence and private freedom inside the group.
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Renee Slegers insists there may be much more to come back from her Arsenal facet after the Gunners clinched a sensational Girls’s Champions League title with victory over Barcelona
Her open-door coverage was seen as a manner not solely to enhance performances but additionally discuss points outdoors the gorgeous sport too.
“Renee is the glue,” defender Emily Fox admits. It isn’t an empty platitude, the gamers are eager to indicate their appreciation.
Arsenal had some stellar candidates for the highest job however Slegers proved the tradition she created off the pitch and the enhancements in outcomes had been one thing many with extra expertise within the sport may solely dream of.
Senior sources at Arsenal insist they’re pleased with the place they’re at with their coach however her contract expires on the finish of subsequent season. You’d assume an enormous extension and a good larger pay rise is on the horizon.
However these conversations are for an additional day. Proper now, let’s simply enable Arsenal to get pleasure from an achievement no different English group has pulled off. They’ve received the Champions League.
