_Arsenal qualified for the FIFA Champions Cup Final with a resounding win over Moroccan side ASFAR at Brentford on Wednesday evening. Goals from Stina Blackstenius, Frida Maanum, a Mariona penalty, Olivia Smith and a brace from substitute Alessia Russo gave Arsenal a 6-0 victory. They will play Corinthians in Sunday’s final. Renee Slegers spoke to the press post-match, the first two questions are from Arseblog News._
**On ASFAR playing differently to how they usually do…**
First of all, compliments to the opposition. Of course, it was a hard game for them tonight. But I think the way they present themselves and the way they represented football in Morocco and as being the champions of Africa, it was very inspirational. I think what they’re doing is inspiring so many people and hopefully young girls to see the opportunities to play football and that this is possible. But the game itself, yes, they set up differently. They go to back five and close down spaces. I think they missed a couple of players as well, we expected. Two players to start so didn’t start so I don’t know if that was part of their decision as well. I’m really happy with our performance there’s new partnerships on the pitch partnerships change on the pitch during the game. The players that dealt so well with the with the unknown because it’s the first time we played against them. And so I’m really happy with that. We are very together at the moment. We connected on the pitch. We’re doing things with a lot of discipline and I’m happy that we get the six goals as well and five different goalscorers.
**On the chance to make history on Sunday…**
We are very excited. We had to earn the right today and that’s what I’m very proud of. We had to do the basics really well. We had to be very humble tonight about every action on the pitch and we had to earn the right, which we couldn’t be thinking about the final yet or the next game and the weekend, but now we’ve earned the right to play the final and that’s one step closer to be history makers and that’s what we want to be. But again, very respectful of Corinthians and what they did against Gotham was very impressive so it’s gonna be a tough game.
**On the atmosphere that fans of Corinthians and Arsenal will create on Sunday…**
I look forward to this game a lot and being here playing against us and getting inspired with teams from different continents playing against each other and that will be the same on Sunday. I wasn’t here at the stadium and there were a couple of other staff members that watched the game and on video, but I could see their fans so there was a there was a great atmosphere. And I think it will be a great football event on on Sunday and again two teams two champions of different continents going against each other with a lot of passion and a lot of people not only the players on the pitch, but everyone involved in the stadium.
**On Arsenal rediscovering their goal scoring touch recently…**
I think we had a good block before Christmas and we start the second half of season well from many perspectives in a lot of things what we’re doing and not only what you see on the pitch but also what the investment in the background of the players every single day and they’ve been so good. The only thing that’s been missing is goals in in the two United games but that’s why I’m so happy that we’ve stayed calm and seeing the things that we’re doing really well and there’s been a fuel of hunger and desire to to get the results and the rewards and that’s been very strong and we we got that now against Chelsea. It’s well deserved and we don’t take it for granted and we earned it today and we have to keep on earning it in the future as well.
**On Corinthians and the feeling that they are representing the whole of Brazil…**
I’m happy to hear that there’s so much passion around it in Brazil and South America. I think that says everything about how women’s football is growing everywhere in the world. I think we are very proud to represent England, Europe, in this competition so we are very passionate about it and ourselves. I know the fans are always behind this as well, so there will definitely be two very passionate and engaged and active fans in the stands and two engaged and active and hungry teams on the pitch so I look forward to the occasion. I’m impressed with their win earlier today, how they dealt with different phases in the game, how they got that win late, the goal late, and then how they manage the game later on so. They are a disciplined team with a lot of passion and hunger and desire, and of course they are representing what it means for the country as well, so you can see that in the way they were presenting themselves on the pitch. I’ve just watched that game but now of course I’m gonna go and dig deeper into Corinthians and build a game plan.
**On Chloe Kelly returning from injury…**
She’s been out quite a while. We’ve missed her and she’s been working really hard to get right and to be fully fit and available to be at the very, very best when she’s back. And she was determined and she’s back now and you can see the moment she’s been with us in training. The engagement of her on the one one on one basis with me with other players and team meetings. She’s so hungry. She’s so engaged and you could see today on the pitch as well it’s so good to have her back and she wanted to be back and make an impact on the team. And you can just feel that desire so it’s really good for us as a team to have Chloe back.
**On the £1.7m prize money if Arsenal win on Sunday…**
We have our eyes set on the trophy. We want to win a trophy and that’s what the players play for so that will be on our minds on Sunday that we’re really close now we’re one game away from a from a trophy. What’s important is that there’s investments in so many ways in women’s football so we can make more and more things possible on all facets and development of young players and. Referees, coaching, everything around it, understanding, studying research that there’s certain on on all aspects. And we can grow the game and that’s of course our money starts to play a role so it’s good that there’s more and more money in the game.
**On players becoming calmer in front of goal…**
It’s kind of this, this feeling that probably everyone feels and the players themselves as well, but there’s also a lot of hard work in the background and because we know that we can score goals. We have a lot of great finishers. We have a lot of players that can be creative and set situations up. And we just had to figure out what’s a good setup for us now and make small changes and change details a little bit. We’ve also trained it a lot and we have spoken about it a lot with the players on a team level, individual level, how we can be calmer in and around the area and the players are really calm at the moment, so it’s really good.
**On van Domselaar’s absence from the squad…**
She has ann issue that that still needs care and we chose to this week to help her and take care of her to help her make her available. And keep her out of the squad today for her hopefully to be back soon in the squad.
**On Wubben-Moy captaining the team…**
We have a captain’s group and there’s a lot of players. There’s a lot of leadership qualities in a group. So even if one player wears the armbands there could still be other captains or other players doing captain’s duties and so for example could be another player talking in the huddle on the pitch. So they do it all together, but someone has to carry the armbands and Lotte has done it for us this season and of course it’s very special for her and also special for everyone on the outside to see that she’s a young gunner who has always been at Arsenal and that must be a young girl’s dream come true to represent Arsenal and get to wear the armband- it’s special and it’s really deserved.
28.Borbe; 31.Holmberg, 3.Wubben-Moy(c), 5.L.Codina, 24.Hinds (11.McCabe ‘60); 21.Pelova, 8.Mariona (10.Little HT); 9.Mead (19.Foord HT), 12.L.Maanum, 15.Smith (18.Kelly ‘76); 25.Blackstenius (23.Russo ‘60)
Unused: 2.Fox, 7.Catley, 32.Cooney-Cross, 40.Williams, 44.Harwood