Arsenal striker Alessia Russo says that enjoyment is the key to her excellent form for the team this season. Russo has 21 goal contributions in 29 appearances so far this season and signed a contract extension earlier in the campaign.
Ahead of Tuesday night’s UWCL quarter-final first leg at home to Chelsea, Arseblog News asked Russo about her consistency this season and the factors behind her performance going to another level.
‘I’m just enjoying football. I say that all the time. We’ve got so many great players that I get to play with week and week out and I think that when you get to this point of the season, you used to play with everyone, you know what you’re gonna get from your teammates and how you can best set them up in in different areas.
‘I think the whole team in general is in a really good place. Training is fun and we’re performing well at the in the games as well. So hopefully that continues. I’m feeling good and confident and very happy in this team.’ Russo is the Champions League top scorer this season with seven goals (two with her head, three with her right and two with her left).
If Russo scores again in the Champions League this season she will set a record for the most goals by an English player in a single edition of the competition. Arseblog News asked Russo why this competition in particular inspires such prolific scoring form.
‘I’m not sure I’ve thought too much into it, but I think you come up against so many different styles of teams in Champions League and I love that. Diving into different styles of football and playing against different kinds of systems. So I think that’s something that I really enjoy in the Champions League.
‘I came to Arsenal for these Champions League nights and I think I just feel really grateful to play in them and every player in our team will say that Champions League nights under the lights are really one thing that they look forward to.’
The Gunners are the current holders and Russo says that triumph in Lisbon last May has given the team a taste of success that they want to experience again. ‘We had an amazing season last year in the Champions League and one it previously as well and we feel grateful that Arsenal have that history.
‘But it’s now a new season, times change and all our focus is on doing it again. We loved that feeling of winning the trophy in Lisbon and I think every player will say they want to experience that all over again. It’s not easy so we’re proud of what we’ve done in the past, but now we just want to do it all over again.’
This represents the first time that Arsenal and Chelsea have met in the competition and the first time that the Gunners will face another English side in the Champions League since playing Birmingham in 2014. Russo says that won’t overly influence the players though.
‘It feels like a big game. I think it’s great for fans locally that they get to see two top English clubs go together in a Champions League quarterfinal, which is great for the women’s game in England. But I think last year we’ve had the same mindset going into the quarterfinal against Real Madrid.
‘I think at the end of the day, it’s a quarterfinal of a competition that we wanna do everything we can to be successful in. So the mindset stays the same, but I’m aware that for English fans and women’s football in England, it’s a massive game.’
Arsenal play Chelsea on Tuesday night at the Emirates, there are still tickets available [here](https://www.eticketing.co.uk/arsenal/EDP/Event/Index/3838?_gl=1*qaspzu*_gcl_au*NTEzMjA4MTIzLjE3NzM4NjYxODQ.*_ga*MzY3MDAyMDE4LjE3NzM4NjYxODU.*_ga_WP53Y0W9VR*czE3NzQyNzM5OTUkbzE5JGcxJHQxNzc0Mjc0MDAwJGo1NSRsMCRoMA..).