Renee Slegers insisted her Arsenal team are not hungover from their Champions League triumph last season amid poor form.
Arsenal are without a win in their last three games in all competitions, one of which came in Europe where they stunned Bayern Munich last week.
The Gunners looked on course for all three points at the Allianz Arena thanks to goals from Emily Fox and Mariona Caldentey in the first half, but Bayern hit back after the break.
Substitutes Alara Sehitler and Pernille Harder led the turnaround in the second half, with Bayern captain Glodis Viggosdottir completing the comeback in the 86th minute.
Indeed, Arsenal became the first English team in the history of the Women’s Champions League to lose a match after leading by more than two goals.
The Gunners have now lost two games in which they were already leading this season, with no team ever losing three games from a winning position in one season.
Arsenal’s defeat in the Champions League was sandwiched between the draws against London rivals Chelsea and Tottenham in the Women’s Super League.
Slegers’ side have taken just three points from their first three matches in the Champions League, leaving them eleventh in the standings.
But before welcoming Real Madrid to the Mangata Pay UK Stadium on Wednesday, Slegers was unconcerned about her team’s recent slump.
“It’s not something we talk about [expectations after winning a UWCL],” Slegers told reporters.
“Of course expectations are rising due to the UWCL victory and the very good performance last year. I don’t think outside expectations influence us.”
The points are shared along the way. pic.twitter.com/KlRTVdQHk2
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) November 16, 2025
Arsenal and Madrid’s only previous meetings in the Women’s Champions League came in the quarter-finals of last season, with the Gunners losing 2-0 in the first leg before winning 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium in the second leg.
It was the first of two comebacks in the latter stages of the competition, with Arsenal repeating the trick against eight-time champions Lyon in the semi-finals.
And they produced the good results in the final against Barcelona, where they emerged victorious 1-0 to lift their second Champions League crown, 18 years after their first, which is the biggest difference between two trophies for one club in the history of the tournament.
But with Madrid starting well in Europe, with seven points from their three games, but suffering a humbling 4-0 defeat to rivals Barcelona this weekend, Slegers is expecting a different encounter to the last time they met.
“I think Real Madrid’s matches might be a bit more open this year, so that is something we have to prepare for and something we want to organize in a good way,” she said.
“You see that their leading actors are playing a slightly different role this year than last year, so that is also something to look forward to.
“Otherwise you see a lot of similar structures and similar players on the field compared to last year.”
But Slegers has reason for optimism. Madrid have lost on all four of their previous visits to England in the Women’s Champions League, conceding at least twice in each defeat (L3 against Chelsea, L1 against Arsenal).
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