Head coach Jonas Eidevall believes the first sell-out crowd for a women’s match at the Emirates Stadium can inspire Arsenal into the Women’s Champions League final on Monday.
It was revealed on Sunday that more than 60,000 tickets have been sold for the semi-final second leg against Wolfsburg, meaning the Gunners are expected to break the attendance record for a women’s club match in England.
Arsenal go into the second leg with the score level at 2-2. Victory would tee up a final on 3 June in Eindhoven against Barcelona, who edged past Chelsea in their semi-final last week.
Eidevall said of the capacity crowd: “I don’t see this as an end point, for me this has always been the natural progression. It is a huge occasion for us as a team and as a club and it is a huge compliment.”
“I hope we look back on this in history that we see it as one of the starting points where this became a regular occurrence. We have taken every opportunity since I have been here to go to the Emirates. That has always been the preference to go there. The more we play there, the more it feels like home.”
After beating Bayern Munich to reach the last four of the Women’s Champions League – for which the home leg attracted an attendance of 21,307 - both Eidevall and captain Leah Williamson suggested the side could permanently move home to the Emirates in future. Arsenal Women play the majority of their home matches at Boreham Wood’s Meadow Park ground.
Arsenal’s chief executive, Vinai Venkatesham, also hailed the milestone. “It’s wonderful news that such a huge match for us has sold out,” he said.
And Eidevall feels the crowd could prove crucial. “Our fans have been nothing short of brilliant this season. At times when it has been tough result wise, they have never gone quiet.
“They have always been there supporting us, they have been absolutely magnificent. If they can be just as magnificent tomorrow, that is going to be a big boost for us. We have fans that sing and they pride themselves on out-singing the opposing fans.”
