Renee Slegers, the coach of Arsenal, stated that her team would remain modest as they prepare for their Saturday women’s Champions League encounter with reigning champions Barcelona.
Arsenal reached the final in 2007 with their first victory, while the Catalan giants have won the competition three times and six of the previous seven finals.
Arsenal hope to be the sand in the gears of the Lisbon showpiece despite the fact that Barcelona are on the verge of a repeat of the quadruple from the previous season.
We will demonstrate courage tomorrow, Slegers said at a press conference, “We respect Barcelona as a team, they are really, really difficult (to face).”
We are very humble for the occasion, but we also want to win, and we must find a way to win. ”
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The 36-year-old coach, who took over Arsenal’s season after being appointed in October, warned her team to always be on the lookout for their formidable opponents.
We need to be switched on, disciplined, and courageous, and we must also believe in ourselves, Slegers said.
It’s just been so much work, but it’s all of us, the people who have done this for such a long time, to put ourselves in a position to play this game tomorrow.
We are so excited about the challenge that we will face tomorrow and how well-prepared we will all be for it. ”
Alessia Russo, the team that won the 2007 UEFA Women’s Cup, shared a lunch with the Arsenal squad earlier this week, and the player described it as having a “special” time.
The forward, who was named the football writers’ women’s player of the year earlier this month, acknowledged that any player who plays for Arsenal is aware of how successful it is and how ambitious it is to compete with the best.
We are aware of what has come before us as well, and we had lunch with some of the 2007 winners earlier this week, so understanding what it still means to them is truly special. ”
‘Our standard’
The 26-year-old England international has scored seven Champions League goals, finishing only behind Claudia Pino, who also leads the competition.
We are aware that Barcelona is a strong side and consistently has won.
We are capable of doing what we can as a team, and I have full faith in us. ”
In the first leg of their semi-final tussle, Arsenal lost to record-eight-time champions Lyon, but the team recovered with a remarkable 4-1 victory in France to reach the final.
Russo said, “We have spoken about belief a lot as a team, and we have also discovered a lot of ways to win this season.”
It has been a year of learning and highs and lows.
We want to keep that performance in Lyon as a benchmark for the rest of our industry.
We wanted to compete in the final because it was unique and it was a result that we needed to perform without any other options. ”
Kim Little scored the first game of the season between these teams in 2012, when Arsenal won 7-0.
The Scottish midfielder, 34, claims, “I don’t have many memories from the games, but I do remember that my friend Jenny (Beattie) scored and that I also did in one of them.”
Tomorrow, I’m hoping to make more (memories). ”
Source: Channels TV
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