Arsenal Women Renee Slegers
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Arsenal Women head coach Renée Slegers says her side is “ready to tackle the challenges ahead” as they prepare to open their 2025/26 Women’s Super League (WSL) campaign against London City Lionesses this weekend.
Speaking at her pre-match press conference on September 5, Slegers expressed confidence in her squad following a productive pre-season and a historic UEFA Women’s Champions League triumph last May.
“I’m really happy with the squad we have,” Slegerssaid. “Across the club, with everyone involved, we did a really good job of being very proactive and early with what we wanted to achieve. The squad is well-balanced, and we’re ready.”
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Slegers, appointed permanent head coach in January after Jonas Eidevall’s resignation, has guided Arsenal through a transformative period. The Gunners’ 2-1 victory over Barcelona in Lisbon secured their second European crown, raising expectations ahead of the new campaign. But the 35-year-old insists the pressure will not distract her side.
💬 “We need to understand that what we do, what we put in every single day can lead to something.”
Renée Slegers on ambitions for the new season ahead 💪
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) September 5, 2025
“We always feel pressure. The opposition want to beat us, and that’s always there. Our focus is on consistency and controlling what we can,” she said.
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Arsenal strengthened their squad with several key additions, most notably Canadian forward Olivia Smith, the 2024/25 PFA Young Player of the Year. Slegers pointed to the squad’s depth as a key asset. “We have so much quality, and pre-season showed we can adapt to different challenges,” she added.
Supporters will get their first glimpse of the new-look Arsenal at Meadow Park, with a strong crowd expected for Sunday’s clash. The Gunners enter in good form, having beaten West Ham United 2-0 in their final warm-up game thanks to a Frida Maanum brace. Slegers praised her side’s balance in that win, highlighting “defensive stability and attacking intent.”
Captain Leah Williamson has also endorsed Slegers’ impact, praising the “empowering environment” the coach has fostered. With Williamson leading from the back and attacking threats such as Beth Mead and Maanum in top form, Arsenal look primed to mount a serious challenge for the WSL title.
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