'euphoria' As Arsenal Reach First European Final In 18 Years

Arsenal's exuberant and affectional celebrations astatine nan full-time whistle successful Lyon were 18 years successful nan making.

That is really agelong it has been since nan Gunners past contested a Champions League last and conscionable six months agone doing truthful again looked for illustration a tube dream.

But pursuing what has often been a tumultuous campaign, pinch mediocre results and a alteration of manager, each is good again successful North London.

Arsenal produced a magnificent comeback to win 4-1 against eight-time champions Lyon successful France, overturning a 2-1 first-leg shortage to scope nan Champions League last wherever they will look holders Barcelona.

It was an uncharacteristically mediocre capacity from hosts Lyon, pinch an ain extremity successful nan opening 5 minutes mounting nan reside for a reliable night.

But Mariona Caldentey's superb onslaught was followed by goals from Alessia Russo and Caitlin Foord, securing an awesome and deserved triumph for nan Gunners.

"We were unbelievable successful a high-pressure infinitesimal against a apical opponent," said leader Renee Slegers.

"How calm we were - there's truthful overmuch activity put into this game, I'm truthful happy.

"Delighted for everyone. Its euphoria, specified a typical moment. So happy and we request to observe these typical moments but besides enactment humble and we get fresh for nan adjacent one."

It has been a agelong travel to nan last for Arsenal.

From information 1 of qualifying against Rangers backmost successful September to now, they person played successful 14 Champions League matches this season. No squad has ever done truthful successful this format.

With Chelsea looking group to assistance nan Women's Super League title for a sixth consecutive year, Arsenal seemed successful threat of fizzling out.

Instead, they person managed to do what Chelsea could not - overturn a first-leg shortage against apical European guidance to scope nan Champions League final.

Granted, Lyon were not astatine their champion successful what leader Joe Montemurro called a "perplexing" and "inexplicable" performance.

But Arsenal capitalised connected that and were capable to asseverate immoderate power to triumph a two-legged European semi-final distant from location for nan first time.

The outpouring of emotion astatine full-time from Arsenal's seasoned subordinate Kim Little, who turns 35 successful June, said it all.

Alongside Spaniard Caldentey successful midfield, Little dominated - controlling nan crippled successful onslaught and defence pinch her silky passes and tricky footwork.

"I can't judge she's still playing astatine this level and getting amended and better. It's because of her cognition and application," erstwhile Chelsea guardant Karen Carney said connected TNT Sports.

"Her and Caldentey's narration - having nan licence to spell and attack, utilizing her body, her calmness keeping nan ball.

"When she sewage affectional astatine nan end, I've ne'er seen that. She's a prestigious subordinate and person."

Spurred connected by their 500 aliases truthful travelling fans, who had been allocated a conception connected their ain precocious up successful nan apical tier of nan 60,000-capacity stadium, Arsenal were clinical, scoring 4 goals from their six shots connected target.

"I deliberation we played really good and created nan momentum," said Foord, who scored their 4th goal.

"We vanished our chances, which is truthful important. We won nan shot higher up successful important areas and I deliberation we rattled them a bit. We sewage them successful bully areas and vanished our chances."

The past clip Arsenal reached nan Champions League final, Slegers was playing successful nan Gunners' academy.

Eighteen years later, nan erstwhile midfielder will go conscionable nan 2nd Arsenal women leader to lead retired nan squad successful nan last of Europe's apical competition.

The 36-year-old says she can't retrieve overmuch astir nan 2006-07 run which saw Arsenal triumph a historical quadruple, but recalls watching nan last connected television.

"I retrieve backmost past location were very fewer domiciled models, I couldn't watch overmuch connected shot connected TV successful nan Netherlands. I came to England and saw them training and seeing them execute successful nan Champions League was very inspiring," she said.

Just 7 months connected from replacing Jonas Eidevall, past arsenic interim boss, and 4 months connected from being appointed permanently, Slegers has wholly turned Arsenal's fortunes around.

In a play of alteration and astatine times turmoil, she has managed to not only dependable nan vessel but besides do what Eidevall could not: get nan champion retired of a squad that, connected paper, has agelong looked ready-made for success.

"If you look backmost astatine nan early parts of nan season, Arsenal had immoderate really difficult moments, surely erstwhile Eidevall was successful charge," said erstwhile England midfielder Fara Williams connected TNT Sports.

"Slegers has fixed them thing different. You've seen a existent displacement successful nan players.

"They've been nan strongest WSL squad of late. They were phenomenal today."

Russo had scored conscionable 1 extremity and registered 1 assistance successful nan first 9 games of this play but is now Arsenal's apical scorer pinch 19 goals successful each competitions.

Chloe Kelly has besides proved a revelation. Struggling for minutes astatine Manchester City she had looked almost down and out, but a January move to nan Gunners has reinvigorated her and she looks backmost to her best.

"The head has been a revelation," said Carney. "I'm thrilled for them. Arsenal are backmost now. I really dream they triumph it."

Arsenal whitethorn person doubly travel backmost from first-leg defeats to triumph ties against Real Madrid and now Lyon, getting their strategies correct astatine nan 2nd clip of asking, but their toughest task - against Barcelona successful nan last - awaits. They cognize they will person to get it correct first time.

The holders person contested 5 of nan past six Champions League finals, winning 3 of them, while their 2 defeats came against Lyon.

"It's going to beryllium a reliable game, a final, thing tin happen," said Foord. "We look guardant to it. It's an breathtaking infinitesimal for us, truthful conscionable can't hold to return them on."

A large situation but 1 that could beryllium made easier by Arsenal's erstwhile Barca subordinate Caldentey, who has lifted nan trophy 3 times pinch her erstwhile club.

The 29-year-old's acquisition and know-how shone done against Lyon and she could beryllium seen directing her team-mates passim nan match, dictating wherever nan shot should go.

She has popped up pinch cardinal goals successful cardinal moments, scoring nan extremity that put Arsenal up successful nan necktie successful France, her eighth extremity successful her past 11 Champions League appearances for Arsenal.

Carney said Caldentey is presently "the champion subordinate successful nan WSL" but Arsenal cognize they will request much than conscionable 1 world-class capacity to get past world-beaters Barcelona.