By OkayGoal 
Arsenal head coach Renée Slegers says that she is well-aware of the power and pace possessed by latest opponents OL Lyonnes.
The Gunners play host to the French side in the first leg of their UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-final on Sunday.
OL Lyonnes are no strangers to Arsenal and Slegers says that the North Londoners are preparing for their opponents’ power and attacking speed ahead of the game.
“We played them twice last year, so exactly one year ago and we played them earlier stages in the Champions League [last October],” Slegers said when speaking in the pre-match press conference. “We know the extreme power that they possess. They’re very explosive, they’re very front-footed, so they’ll come at you quickly. I think we’re aware of that. We’ve faced that three times now in a year, but we have to do it all over again.
“I think absolutely there’s been learnings from those three games. If I look at the team back then, the team in October when we played Lyonnes and the team where we are now, I think we have so many tools that we’re possessing at the moment.
“I think it’s just two very different styles going against each other and I have belief in the players finding solutions on the pitch against that. Of course, it’s two very strong teams going against each other with two different styles.”
Arsenal defeated OL Lyonnes 5-3 on aggregate in last season’s semi-finals but Slegers says that it’s about the present and not the past.
She said “Last year was last year, this year is this year. The set-up of the competition has changed and a lot of things have changed since then. I think we still have the same identity, I think they have their style of play, we have our style of play.
“Yeah, [by] coincidence or by chance, we’re in the exact same position again in the semi-final playing against each other; first at home at the Emirates and the second one away but with that being said, that was last year, everything is different this year.”
OL Lyonnes will be wanting revenge on Arsenal for last season’s semi-final defeat but Slegers says that the North Londoners have full focus on themselves.
She said “I think they are in their camp and they’re trying to find the right way to attack this game. It’s going to be a high level game with two teams finding their way and that’s what we’re going to do. I think what we are good at is just one moment at a time and this moment is right now. We’re going to try to impact that as well as we can and prepare really well for this moment. We go into the game with a lot of belief and a lot of tools and that’s what we’re focusing on.
“I don’t know what’s going through their heads but I’m sure that both teams are going to be very much up for it and wanting a spot in the final, of course.”
Arsenal’s UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-final, first leg tie against OL Lyonnes kicks-off at 3.30pm on Sunday afternoon. Tickets remain on general sale and can be purchased by clicking here.
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