Jonas Eidevall: Arsenal Coach Reacts To Champions League Exit
Written by Oluwaseun Oyediji
After Saturday’s UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) exit, Arsenal FC coach, Jonas Eidevall has reacted to the team’s early exit from the European competition.
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A 4-2 loss on penalties to French side, Paris FC all but ended the Gunners’ Champions League hope.
Paris FC scored twice in a minute in the second half to put Arsenal on the back foot.
Goals from Alessia Russo and a stoppage-time header from Jen Beattie forced extra time.
Paris FC re-took the lead in extra time before Alessia Russo again equalised. Paris FC were victors on penalties thanks to two penalty saves from Nigerian goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie.
On the disappointing loss, Eidevall described it as a hurting experience.
“Of course, it hurts because we had such a good experience in Europe last season and we wanted to build on that,” Eidevall told journalists after the game.
“We knew from the beginning this mini-tournament was going to be really tough, for a number of reasons. One is that Paris is a really good team, another part is the really limited preparation time and playing on a 3G pitch that we are not really used to. So we knew there were external factors that were going to make this complicated and you only get one shot.
“When I look at the performance, I think there are good things and bad things. In general, we created enough chances to win the game if we look at it objectively, but we put ourselves in a really difficult situation conceding a goal and directly after that, being wasteful in our possession and giving them their second goal. From there the players showed great determination, great heart, and great belief. We changed the formation and got the output we wanted from that.”
Eidevall despite the loss is proud of his players’ performance after coming from behind twice to force extra time and penalties.
“I am really proud of the players that we could come back twice in the game. Then it comes to the penalty shootout and it’s small margins and it hurts a lot when you’re on the wrong side of it. My feeling there is to take care of the players who are working so hard for us and putting themselves in brave positions taking penalties for us but of course we were not successful there today.” He concluded.
Meanwhile…
After scrapping with their fingernails through an unbearable injury crisis in the spring to grab the last Champions League qualifying spot on goal difference, Arsenal Women won’t play Champions League football this season after all.
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After all the progress in Europe last season, the 5-1 thumping of Lyon, the win from behind against Bayern Munich, fighting toe to toe with Wolfsburg with the squad down to the bare bones, some of last season’s most memorable nights won’t be repeated in 2023/2024.
There is no hiding or concealing what a monumental disappointment that is for fans and players alike.
People who are invested in the players as much as the badge, people who had the additional emotional tie of watching colleagues and friends have their dreams cruelly taken away.
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