Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Slegers spoke warmly about the club’s unity and the mutual support shared between the men’s and women’s squads.
Arsenal Women’s head coach Renee Slegers has revealed that Mikel Arteta and the men’s team were deeply moved by the women’s side’s dramatic comeback victory over Real Madrid Femenino in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. The men’s manager even described the performance as “inspirational” in a personal message to Slegers.
Appointed in January, Slegers has already made a significant impact, guiding the Lady Gunners to the semifinals of Europe’s premier competition. Arsenal will face eight-time champions Olympique Lyonnais in the first leg of their semifinal clash at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Slegers spoke warmly about the club’s unity and the mutual support shared between the men’s and women’s squads.
“I feel like since I’ve come to the club that it’s one club,” she said. “I’ve naturally been in contact with the assistant coach on the men’s side because he’s Dutch. But after we won against Madrid, I got messages from everyone across the club, including Mikel, and he said it was inspirational.”
Slegers’ side had faced a tough task after falling 0-2 to Real Madrid in the first leg at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano. However, they turned the tie around in style, thrashing the Spanish giants 3-0 in the return leg at the Emirates to book a spot in the final four.
The Arsenal Women’s triumph proved to be more than just a morale booster for the club—it also served as a spark of inspiration for Arteta’s men. Just days after the women’s emphatic win, the Arsenal men’s team mirrored the feat with their own 3-0 victory over Real Madrid at the same venue. They then followed it up with a 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabéu, completing a remarkable 5-1 aggregate victory to progress in the UEFA Champions League.
“I think they look like a team, and I think that’s why they won against Madrid with so much individual quality,” Slegers said of the men’s performance. “It’s amazing to be part of this.”
Highlighting the camaraderie within the club, Slegers shared a brief but meaningful moment she had with Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber.
“There were just some media here at the club, and Jurrien Timber was sitting there, and he said, ‘Renée, good luck for tomorrow’. So the guys also know what we are doing, and we know what they are doing, and we support each other, so it’s great.”
As Arsenal Women gear up for their semifinal showdown with Lyon, Slegers believes the support from the broader club culture will continue to fuel their push for European glory.
With both men’s and women’s teams delivering standout performances on the continental stage, Arsenal are enjoying a golden moment of unity, resilience, and ambition — qualities that could lead to silverware on multiple fronts this season.
