Renee Slegers reacts to 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid
03/18/2025 04:21 PM
Arsenal lost 2-0 to Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final with goals from Linda Caicedo and Athenea del Castillo. Renee Slegers spoke to the press post-match, the first two questions are from Arseblog News.
On how confident she is of overturning the deficit in the second leg…
It's half time it’s two nil but it’s half-time, so we are confident. I think it’s an even game where both teams are battling and fighting for the ball. I think we have more of the ball. I think we create more chances and I think what they do, they did it really well today. They are defending really well, coming out diagonally and creating one v one situations. I think two of those actions two goals so that’s definitely something we want to do better, but as I said, it’s half time and there’s a big belief and big confidence. Maybe on another surface as well we can move the ball a little bit quicker and create bigger spaces as well.
On Arsenal conceding lots of goals from turnovers and transitions recently…
We're always going to look at details we want to do better and we always, of course, analyse how we create things and how we stop opposition from creating. So definitely it is something we’re going to look at, yes.
On adapting to poor conditions in recent games…
We spoke about it with the players before the game. We knew the condition of the pitch. So we had a plan for it but then it’s always hard because over a season and over time you work on things and you have an identity the way you want to do things. So then reality comes and these conditions come and all of a sudden you need to do things differently so that’s hard. But the players tried so all credit to them for trying and their work rate. But again, I think we’re all confident that we can do something against them at the Emirates at home because it’s only half time.
On starting Stina Blackstenius upfront…
Without going into too much detail, we thought that was a weapon we needed today. We always look at how do you start games and how do you finish games and this is the way we want to start today.
On Madrid not using the Bernabeu for this game…
It’s not on me to criticize that’s obviously a club decision and I’m sure that UEFA is trying to create the best conditions for the tournament. Of course, weather is not within control, but I think we’ve seen a couple of games lately where the pitch conditions haven’t been great and I think that’s the next step for women’s football to take.
On the game being decided by small details…
Yeah, it was about details. I think Real Madrid was ruthless today with what they got from us. They capitalised, so they got maximum reward today and so I think it’s much more of an even game than what the result shows. So parts of our game we are quite happy with, but of course, we’re not happy with the result and there’s definitely details, key details that are outsized in the game that we want to do better.
1.Zinsberger; 2.Fox, 6.Williamson, 7.Catley, 11.McCabe; 10.Little(c), 32.Cooney-Cross (13.Walti '68); 9.Mead (18.Kelly HT), 23.Russo (17.Hurtig '84), 8.Mariona (12.L.Maanum '84); 25.Blackstenius (19.Foord HT)
Unused: 5.L.Codina, 16.Kafaji, 21.Pelova, 22.Nighswonger, 28.Ilestedt, 40.Williams, 62.Reid
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