Alessia Russo said Arsenal’s comeback win against Real Madrid showed the team’s ability to respond under pressure, after her two second-half headers won the match.
Alessia Russo delivered another decisive Champions League performance on Wednesday night and said the response from the players in difficult moments was what made Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Real Madrid particularly significant.
Russo scored twice in the second half, guiding in crosses from Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead to overturn a first-half deficit and keep Arsenal on course for the play-off places.
Speaking afterwards, she made clear that the night had been about resilience as much as quality.
“It was a really important win tonight,” Russo said. “Tough conditions but our fans were amazing. They were with us through it all and it was really important that we won tonight and it was nice to score the goals as well.
“I think we know the attitude of the team. We’d seen it a lot last year, in tough moments we always rise. You can never count us out and I think we felt that tonight. We were really dominant in our second half performance, now we want to build on that going forward.
“Look, we can score all we want but if we’re not defensively solid, I don’t believe you win championships and you win tournaments. I think our backline and our back four were really solid tonight, and really important for us as well.”
The forward also praised the support that carried the team through a tense European night in cold conditions at Meadow Park.
“It was so nice,” she said. “Not an easy night to come out, it’s freezing and you’ve still got me here doing an interview! But it’s amazing to have their support. They’re so loud, they carry us through the tough moments. They’re really special.”
Russo now joins up with the Lionesses for the international break. She said the timing of the win gives her and the squad a lift ahead of the national team’s fixtures against China and Ghana.
“It’s always nice I think when you have a good performance and you want to carry on at the club, but it’s important to switch off, go to a new environment, and come back all ready to go,” she added.
Arsenal return from the break with their fate in their own hands, needing a win against FC Twente to all but secure a place in the Champions League knockout play-offs.
Russo’s form, and her increasing influence in the biggest games, will be central to that push.