Renee Slegers hails best night of Arsenal reign as Alessia Russo calls Champions League win over Real Madrid 'amazing'

Renee Slegers said Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Real Madrid was the best performance of her reign, while Alessia Russo insists her side always knew they could turn the tie around as the Gunners overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit to book their place in the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League.

Russo was at the heart of Arsenal’s quarter-final second-leg performance at the Emirates, with the England forward’s two goals helping Slegers’ side fight back from last week’s defeat in Madrid to win 3-2 on aggregate.

Manchester City loanee Chloe Kelly continued her stunning return to the capital with two assists, one of which was for former Barcelona midfielder Mariona Caldentey’s header that levelled the tie.

Gunners boss Slegers, who took over in October as interim before being named permanent coach in January, will now lead her team against Lyon in the semi-finals next month.

“We’ve done really good things before and had good performances against good teams but this is definitely one of them,” Slegers said when asked if the win was the best night of her tenure.

“This is maybe the clearest one where you play an opponent away, the game looks like it does and then you come back a week after and put a performance and result forward. So I think this is probably the clearest one.”

Arsenal scored three times in 14 minutes after half-time to turn the tie around.

Russo’s first came after Caitlin Foord surged infield and fed Kelly to cross for her England team-mate to apply the simple finish.

After Caldentey’s header, Russo’s clinical finish in the area following a Katie McCabe free-kick took her tally in Europe for the campaign to seven.

“It was calm. We’ve spoken about it before that we need to be calm in every scenario,” Slegers added about the mood at half-time with Arsenal were still trailing by two goals on aggregate.

“If we don’t (keep calm) then we won’t find the solution. Everyone was calm, we felt we were dominant. I saw in the players eyes that we believed and they were very determined in a good way.

“Alessia was really good for us again. She scored goals but she does so many things for the team as well that are important, she puts so much work in.

“It’s important for the club, for the team. They want to go far in the tournament, win things and be on the biggest stage. I’m very happy with the result and to get to the semi finals.”

Russo: We knew we could turn tie around

Russo admitted there was huge disappointment after the first leg in Spain but she insists the Gunners always knew they could turn the tie around to keep their Champions League dream alive.

“I think playing Champions League nights at Emirates is what it’s all about,” she explained. “That’s what we want to be doing. That’s what this club deserves. And yeah, the fans deserved it too tonight. They were so loud. They were with us all the way. But yeah, this is just what you want to be doing when you’re playing football.

“It was amazing,” Russo added after scoring twice and having another two goals ruled out. “I don’t think it’s set in yet. I mean, obviously last week we were disappointed, but I think as soon as we knew we were coming home to the Emirates, we had a whole belief within the squad, within the team, that we could turn it around.

“As soon as we set out from the first minute, I felt like we were on top, although it took a little while for the first goal. But yeah, we have that belief in the team and we knew we could turn it around.”

Williamson: Result step in right direction in Champions League

The result keeps Arsenal in contention for silverware this season – they are out of the FA Cup and eight points behind Women’s Super League leaders Chelsea.

They now face a huge test against record eight-time winners Lyon in the semi-finals but Arsenal defender Leah Williamson believes Arsenal took a huge step in the right direction in the Champions League against Real Madrid as they look to add the trophy the club won in 2007.

“I’m friends with a lot of people that won it last time,” Williamson said.

“I know how much they want that to stay within the club and us to do it again. And we’ve not been close enough, if we’re being honest. So we have to try and get back there. This was the right step.

“Champions League attendance record, I think, for a quarter-final (22,517 were at the Emirates). So it’s like everyone’s together and everyone’s driving in the right direction. But we know that that’s tough. So we’ll celebrate today and then back to the drawing board Friday. And we start again.”

Analysis: Russo will grab the headlines – but Kelly was the star

Sky Sports’ Ron Walker at the Emirates Stadium:

“Arsenal needed someone to step up and rescue their season, which was 45 minutes away from fizzling out at half-time.

“Alessia Russo was the woman to start and finish their rocket of a comeback, but Chloe Kelly, in her finest performance since her January return, was the unsung hero.

“Even as the Gunners toiled in the first half, her deliveries from the right flank were begging to be turned home, and it just took a bit of half-time tinkering from Renee Slegers to get Russo in position at the back post to do that 44 seconds after the break.

“Her delivery for Mariona Caldentey’s equaliser was just as dangerous minutes later. She would never have wanted to see her number come up when she was substituted midway through the second period but she at least got to take in the reception she had earned.

“That Arsenal can bring on Beth Mead in her place shows the level of strength the Gunners have in certain positions – and why they will believe they can do this all again, just perhaps a little bit less dramatically, against Lyon next month.”