Russo brace fires Gunners into Champions League semi-finals: Five things we learned from Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid (3-2 agg) | OneFootball

Arsenal staged a stunning comeback, scoring three goals in 13 minutes to beat Real Madrid 3-2 on aggregate, securing their place in the Women’s Champions League semi-finals.

After losing 2-0 in Madrid last week, Arsenal knew they would need a fast start at the Emirates to secure their place in the next round.

Despite a dominant first half that yielded no rewards, the Gunners came out firing after the break, with Alessia Russo netting twice and Mariona Caldentey also getting on the scoresheet, to be 3-0 up 14 minutes into the second half.

Their second-half surge, marked by fluid attacking play and renewed confidence, saw them capitalise on key chances and set up a showdown with Lyon in the next round.

Here’s five things we learned from the match…

What did Renee Slegers say at half-time?

Despite a first half that saw Arsenal come out with high intensity, it was whatever Renee Slegers said at half-time that turned the game on its head.

With two quickfire goals in three minutes, the Gunners were all square with Madrid on aggregate by the 49th minute.

By the 59th minute, they had completed their comeback and secured a place in the semi-finals.

Russo on fire

Alessia Russo opened the scoring in the 46th minute, latching onto a perfectly placed Chloe Kelly cross that was begging for a finishing touch.

She doubled her tally in the 59th minute, capitalising on a deflected Katie McCabe free-kick to secure her brace and put Arsenal ahead.

Russo came close to a hat-trick, but VAR ruled out her goal in the 71st minute, and another offside call denied her again in the 88th.

Despite missing out on the match ball, she will take pride in her team’s resilience and the crucial role she played in their remarkable comeback.

Chloe Kelly on the money

After a first half filled with pinpoint crosses from Chloe Kelly but no one in the six-yard box to convert them, Slegers clearly addressed this at half-time.

Just a minute into the second half, Russo found the net, and three minutes later, Caldentey brought Arsenal level on aggregate.

Fittingly, both goals came from Kelly’s deliveries, as the Manchester City loanee earned her well-deserved assists and sparked the comeback.

New Champions League quarter-final record

There is nothing quite like a Champions League night under the lights at the Emirates for Arsenal fans.

Tonight saw 22,517 descend on north London to cheer their team into the next round of this European competition they haven’t won since 2007.

This broke the record attendance for a Women’s Champions League quarter-final in England, beating Arsenal’s previous record of 21,307 two years ago when they played Bayern Munich.

Real Madrid are a force in women’s football

For years, Barcelona have been the dominant force in Spanish and European football. But now, there’s another powerhouse emerging in Spain.

After last week’s victory over Arsenal in Madrid and a historic first El Clasico win against Barcelona at the weekend, Real Madrid’s women’s team has proven they are not to be underestimated.

It wasn’t until 2019 that the club added a women’s team to their legacy, taking an unconventional route by merging with an already existing club. Yet, despite their late start, their progress has been remarkable.

Following their 3-2 defeat to Chelsea on matchday one of the group stages, head coach Alberto Toril admitted that his side was still developing but hoped to remain in the competition to prove themselves. And prove themselves they have.

Despite not getting over the line tonight, they showed their strength on the counter attack last week in Madrid and a strong first half defensive display tonight.