Slegers warns Arsenal they will have to ‘suffer’ against Barcelona

Men’s Football / 11 November 2026 US cancel planned media access as Man Utd eye Pochettino move 11 November 2026 Men’s Football / 11 November 2026 Wenger to make Fifa presidency decision by end of week 11 November 2026 Women’s Football / 11 November 2026 Bompastor frustrated after Chelsea’s goalless draw with Hacken 11 November 2026 ARSENAL boss Renee Slegers admits her side “will have to suffer” in their Women’s Champions League meeting with Barcelona on Thursday.

The two teams go head to head at the Nou Camp in a rematch of the 2024-25 final in which the Gunners stunned Barca with a memorable 1-0 win to clinch their first Champions League title in 17 years.

Barcelona managed to get their hands on the trophy a year later and current top the league phase table with three wins out of three.

Arsenal are looking to maintain their own unbeaten start in the competition, but Slegers knows it will be a huge task.

She told a press conference: “We will have to suffer. We’ll have to put bodies on the line. We’ll have to be really disciplined. But we have a lot of quality in our team as well.

“We are in a good position in the league phase. We look forward to the game against Barcelona. It’s going to be a big game with two really good teams.”

Slegers said the final victory over Barcelona was one of the “proudest moments” of her career.

She added: “That performance was immense and it had so many facets to it. It was a great moment of course, a very proud moment for us.”