**Renée Slegers reflects on a historic night as Arsenal overturned a 2-0 deficit to secure their place in the semi finals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.**
The Arsenal head coach was full of praise for her side’s intensity as the Gunners fired home to a 3-0 victory under the lights of Emirates Stadium.
“It’s just a credit to everyone,” praised Slegers. I think, staff and players, we’ve worked incredibly hard to prepare for this game. But then when the moment is there, because you can prepare everything and in theory, you have all your plans, and you know what you’re gonna do, but then to actually do it and execute it in this moment where you are under so much pressure, it’s so strong of the girls.”
Arsenal will now face Lyon in the semi finals of the competition, reuniting with former head coach Joe Montemurro.
“They are a top team and they’ve been at the top for long now in Europe, so that’s that’s gonna be a challenge, but we don’t shy away from the challenge, we look forward to it,” Slegers said.
“It’s important for the club. it’s important for for the team, for the players and they are part of Arsenal because they they want to go far in tournaments and they want to win things and they want to be at the biggest stage, so it’s it’s very important for us.”
[Embed from Getty Images](http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/2207074110)
Slegers praises ‘dominant’ Arsenal
----------------------------------
Despite having the run of the momentum, Arsenal remained two goals adrift of Real Madrid at the half time interval. Slegers reflected on what was said at half time to allow her side to come out with such strength after the interval.
“Second half we spoke about that we have such a great squad, we have so many players that can come in and make a difference for us and Real Madrid doesn’t, so we just keep on going, keep on working them, because they will get tired at some point. They haven’t had the ball lot and they’ve been in their own half a lot. So that’s what we said from a from a motivational perspective.”
Despite taking the lead in the 59th minute, Arsenal showed no sign of wavering from an attacking perspective. The Gunners pressed on, a decision that Slegers said was down to the players.
“We had so many scenarios planned before the game and it was an in game decision with players going to the sideline where we felt we were so dominant, we had so much momentum that they were shaking that we wanted to keep on going with the game plan that we had to stay aggressive, stay high pressing, going for another one. So that’s what we decided to do because the game looked like it did.”
[Embed from Getty Images](http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/2206499018)
Chloe Kelly ‘is a winner’
-------------------------
Chloe Kelly was a standout star at Emirates Stadium, assisting two goals in two minutes to bring the Gunners back into the contest. Slegers reflected on Kelly’s impact, expressing that the club are “very happy that she is with us.”
“I think all players on the pitch that performed on a very high level. Chloe was one of them and we were very happy she’s with us and and I think we played her to our strengths today really well, the players on pitch do that really well today, but also Madrid gave her add opportunity to play to her strength.
“I can only judge what she’s done since she’s come to us and she came in with a lot of motivation and with a smile on her face and she said, I want to enjoy football, I want to represent Arsenal, I want to do my best for the team. I think that’s what she’s done since she came in and I knew the quality she had as a player, but to see her day in and day out think she really contributes to our training environment. She’s very feisty, she’s a winner, very competitive, she’s great, so we’re very happy with her.”