Renee Slegers spoke about the first leg of the Champions League semi-final for Arsenal.
‘We’re good at being in the here and now’
The Gunners grabbed the trophy for the second time in their history last May with a 1-0 win in the final in Lisbon against Barcelona. On the way, they overturned deficits against Real Madrid and Lyon to land a spot in the showpiece event, and there is a reunion with the French outfit on Sunday.
Slegers said: “Last year was last year, this year is this year. The set-up of the competition has changed, and a lot of things have changed since then. I think for us, for them, I think we still have the same identity. I think they have their style of play, and we have our style of play.
“And yeah, coincidence or chance by chance, we're in the exact same position again in the semi-final playing against each other, first at home at the Emirates and the second one away. But with that being said, that was last year, everything is different this year.
“What we've shown last year, both against Real Madrid and Lyon, was that we could turn it around when we needed to. So, we showed some really strong mental resilience. I think this year, for example, if you look at the Chelsea games, the quarterfinals, it was the other way around.
“It is very challenging. It is going to be challenging for both teams trying to win, getting to the final across two legs. It's going to be challenging, but we embrace the challenge. We look forward to it. But yeah, like I said, everything will be different this time around.
“What we're really good at is being in the here and now and trying to impact the here and now as much as we can as individuals and then all together. We did that really well last year. That's why I think that was a big part of achieving what we achieved. Being humble and respectful of opponents.
“Sometimes with the unknown and sometimes with the known. Dealing with those moments. I think that's going to be a key area for this game, for this block that we have ahead of us. The here and now and the here and now is going to be different.
“Learning from success is so important and that's what we've tried to do and we've had successful periods. What is it that made us successful and trying to understand that knowing that we can't copy-paste it into the future but there's certain things that we definitely can bring.
“I know how in the way they work they're also very reflective and always looking for the details and the margins. It's been really inspiring to be at this club with the men's team and us now getting far.
“You have to keep this mindset otherwise if you stop, you will be mediocre, so everyone has to keep on going. At the moment, very proud to be part of Arsenal and both teams being in the semi-finals.”
‘There's been learnings from those three games’
OL Lyonnes avenged their European elimination from the previous campaign somewhat in October, cancelling out an early Alessia Russo finish to bag a 2-1 triumph at Meadow Park. There is plenty of information for both camps to carry into this tie, but Slegers senses her players can find the answers.
“I think you're constantly learning. As a team we go through different contexts, through different phases. We're all putting those things into our backpack as a team. We grow with it and I think that's what we're doing. We have to earn it all over again. It was fantastic what we did and the way we did it. But it starts all over again. We start from zero and it's going to be a different game.
“We played them twice last year. So exactly one year ago, we played them earlier stages in the Champions League. We know the extreme power that they possess. They're very explosive, they're very front-footed, so they'll come at you quickly. I think we're aware of that. So we face that three times now in a year, but we have to do it all over again.
“And I think absolutely there's been learnings from those three games. If I look at the team back then, the team in, It was October, when we played Lyon and the team where we are now, I think we have so many tools that we're possessing at the moment. It's just two very different styles.
“And I have belief in the players finding solutions on the pitch against that. But of course, it's two very strong teams going against each other with two different styles.
“What the team has been building is a lot of tools to attack different games in different ways. If we're now looking at a phase of play that we train today on the pitch, there are so many different ways we can do it, we just have to find the right way in the right moment, and I think that's where we are now.
“The players, with the qualities that we have, with their investment and engagement we've built a big library and that hopefully will help us here and now in the future.
“Lyon are trying to find the right way to attack this game. It's going to be a high-level game. With two teams finding their way. And that's what we're going to do. And I think what we are good at is just one moment at a time. And this moment is right now. We're going to try to impact that as well as we can.
“And prepare really well for this moment. So we go into the game with a lot of belief and a lot of tools. And that's what we're focusing on. So I don't know what's going through their heads. But I'm sure that both teams are going to be very much up for it. And wanting a spot in the final, of course.”