Slegers looks forward to renewing Arsenal's rivalry with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 24: Sonia Bompastor, Manager of Chelsea, and Renee Slegers, Manager of Arsenal, embrace prior to the UEFA Women's Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-finals First Leg match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Arsenal Stadium on March 24, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Renee Slegers spoke about her excitement for the fixture with Chelsea this weekend.
Title race on the line
Arsenal are four points behind league leading title defenders Manchester City, and more dropped points against the Blues at Stamford Bridge would mark a major dent in their league aspirations.
‘We know each other well’
But Slegers has overseen positive results for the most part against the once-perennial champions.
A tight 1-0 loss in January 2025 during her interim head coach spell was the only blot in a run of 12 victories from 13 Women’s Super League matches. They then drew 1-1 at the Emirates Stadium in November before beating the Blues 2-0 on their turf in January 2026.
A two-legged triumph in the Champions League quarter-final also went the way of the Gunners, who are eager to adapt to the challenge on Sunday afternoon to try to assert their right to be called the best team in the capital.
“I love [big games.] I really enjoy it. I love it. I look forward to it. It's going to be such a fight, and it's going to be a battle. Two really good teams, but yeah, I love those moments, so I look forward to it.
“I think there were some really good things we did in those games [previously against Chelsea ] and it was a positive outcome overall across four games last season. I think everyone knows what I'm going to say now. This is a new game, a new season, and things are different.
Arsenal's Australian striker #19 Caitlin Foord and Arsenal's English striker #23 Alessia Russo celebrate following the UEFA Women's Champions League Quarter Final second-leg football match between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge in London on April 1, 2026. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal's Australian striker #19 Caitlin Foord and Arsenal's English striker #23 Alessia Russo celebrate following the UEFA Women's Champions League Quarter Final second-leg football match between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge in London on April 1, 2026. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP via Getty Images)
“I think players on the pitch know each other. Sonia Bompastor and me have played against each other several times now, so we've seen how it plays out against each other. I love it. Like I said, I look forward to Sunday, and the process towards it I'm enjoying. We know each other well.
Ready for the fight
“I think two teams that really want to go against each other rather than one team wanting to sit off and looking to break. But of course, there will be moments and spells where there is control and we have to have a really solid defence behind us. Because we know that they have certain qualities in the Chelsea team that we have to stop. But like I said, I think this game will look different.
“We know the qualities that they possess, the intensity that they can bring to a game. We can do that too, so it’s going to be a big game. It’s going to be a game where two teams are really going to go after it, so it’s going to be an exciting game, an entertaining game. We want to control things in the right moments, so I want to be and need to be ready for the fight on the pitch.
“Let's see how both teams are going to come out on Sunday.”