Arsenal grind out Camp Nou draw as Slegers praises resilience
Arsenal held Barcelona to a draw at Camp Nou despite heavy pressure, ending the hosts' perfect Champions League record and giving the Gunners a confidence boost amid a difficult season.
Arsenal earned a gritty draw against European champions Barcelona at Camp Nou in the Women's Champions League on Thursday, a result that ended the Catalan side's 100% record in this season's competition and improved the Gunners' chances of reaching the knockout stages. The point came with Arsenal sixth in the Women's Super League and well off the pace in the title race, leaving Europe as their main focus; they now have seven points from four matches.
Frida Maanum put Arsenal ahead against the run of play in the first half, and the visitors reached the interval with their lead intact despite 18 shots from Barcelona. Caroline Graham Hansen equalised after the break, but Barcelona could not build on it. The hosts finished with almost 70% possession, 24 shots, 51 touches in the opposition half and 11 corners, yet managed only one goal, with Aitana Bonmati among those on the bench.
Arsenal manager Renee Slegers, whose position has come under scrutiny, said the execution was good and praised her players' preparation and ownership. She acknowledged Barcelona's quality on the ball and said the team was pleased to have shown a different side to their usual play. Asked to describe the performance, she listed grit, resilience, clarity, discipline, communication, leadership and bravery, and said those qualities must now appear in every game.
The display contrasts with much of Arsenal's season, where criticism has focused on a lack of ruthlessness and an inability to convert dominance into wins. On this occasion the roles were reversed, with Barcelona wasteful and Arsenal capitalising on their chances and riding their luck. Slegers had earlier admitted too many draws had affected the team's start; supporters may view this draw as evidence the real Arsenal remains, though that is opinion rather than verified fact.
Attention now turns to a decisive run of fixtures. Arsenal face London City Lionesses in the WSL on Sunday, a match that could affect their push for a top-three finish and qualification for next season's Champions League. They then host Lyon in Europe next Thursday before closing the league phase away to Inter Milan in December. Slegers said the point at Camp Nou was acceptable, though her side had gone for three.
