Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall wants his side to create new history when they face European champions Lyon at the Emirates Stadium this evening.
The Gunners can qualify for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League with a favourable result, although even if things don’t go their way, they can still secure qualification against group minnows FC Zürich on Matchday 6.
Arsenal recorded a historic 5-1 victory over Lyon in the reverse fixture, a result that sent shockwaves across Europe. It was a famous night for The Gunners but Eidevall wants his side to move forward rather than cling onto history.
“It was a combination of a very good performance, but we also scored at very good times in the game so we had that combination of good times and good performance,” Eidevall said when speaking in the pre-match press conference. “Everything aligned that night and of course, it’s beautiful to be a part of but we can’t hold onto that forever.
“It’s a new performance and we need to be ready for that.”
With eight UEFA Women’s Champions League titles, Lyon are the most successful club in European competition. Eidevall went on to praise the French giants for creating their legacy in the European club game.
He said “They were very early pioneers in investing in the women’s game on a truly professional level. They’ve been the club that has been setting the standards for all others to chase and they are the reigning European champions.
“I still think they are (the gold standard in Europe) and we have the utmost respect for their history and their team. We know it’s going to require an incredible performance from us in order to get a result that we want.
“I remember I went there with a team I coached in Sweden in 2015 and I was amazed by how professional of an organisation they were, not only with the players but also, off the pitch at the time and that’s almost 10 years ago. They have a holistic way of investing in the game and it’s not only about finding the best players, they’ve also been trying to build the best organisation around it, they’ve been investing in facilities and showing that you need to be broad in the things you think about.”
Arsenal’s UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage fixture against Lyon kicks-off at 8pm this evening. Tickets remain on-sale and can be purchased by clicking here.