“We Go for Three Points” – Slegers Sets Arsenal Top Four Target

Arsenal head into the final round of the Women’s Champions League group stage with a clear objective and no room for hesitation. Renee Slegers has made it explicit that her side will push for victory in Belgium, knowing a single result elsewhere could reshape their European fate.

The reigning champions travel to face OH Leuven on Wednesday, sitting eighth in the league stage, a position that currently sends teams into the playoff round. With only the top four earning direct passage to the quarterfinals, Arsenal’s margin for error is slim but the opportunity remains firmly alive.

Why this match matters now

The standings underline just how tight the race has become. Arsenal are only one point behind fourth-placed Juventus going into the final set of group fixtures, all of which kick off simultaneously. A win in Leuven, combined with a favorable result elsewhere, could lift Slegers’ side straight into the top four.

Momentum is on Arsenal’s side. They have won every match they have played in December across competitions, a run that has stabilized performances and sharpened belief after an inconsistent start to the European campaign. That context framed Slegers’ pre-match message.

“Five games this block in different competitions and the first three games—we’re of course happy with the results,” she said. “Now we go into tomorrow. It’s an important one for us; it’s the last one in the Champions League and we go for three points.”

A night shaped by permutations

Arsenal’s destiny is not entirely in their own hands, something Slegers openly acknowledged. “It’s not within our hands but we’ll try to chase those top four positions,” she added, before warning that Leuven will not be passive opponents.

Leuven sit just inside the top 12 and are not yet guaranteed a playoff place themselves. That reality ensures an open contest rather than a dead rubber. With all matches played at the same time, Slegers expects the picture to shift rapidly. “All games will be played at the same time so scenarios can change in an instant,” she said.

From Arsenal’s perspective, that unpredictability adds pressure but also opportunity. Early goals elsewhere could change risk calculations on the pitch in Leuven, while a tight scoreline may demand bolder tactical decisions late on.

Pressure elsewhere in the group

The battle for the top four is being fought across multiple venues. Manchester United travel to Juventus with a chance to climb above the Italian side. United manager Marc Skinner is seeking a response after heavy defeats to Wolfsburg and Lyon earlier in the group stage.

“Results haven’t been what we want, but performances certainly have been,” Skinner said, framing the Juventus game as a stylistic contrast and a chance to reset. “They are a fantastic team, and one that we have a lot of respect for, but we’re going to try and go above them in the table, with a win.”

Chelsea also face a decisive night as they host Wolfsburg, knowing victory is required to guarantee a top four finish. The task has been complicated by injury to Natalie Bjorn, who is expected to miss the game after picking up a problem in training. “We won’t see her for the next few weeks,” Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor confirmed.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid will aim to capitalize against already eliminated Twente, while Barcelona and Lyon have already secured their places in the top four. Barcelona travels to Paris FC and Lyon hosts Atletico Madrid with qualification wrapped up but momentum still at stake.

What it means for Arsenal

For Arsenal, the equation is straightforward even if the outcome is not. Three points are nonnegotiable. Anything less would leave them dependent on multiple results breaking perfectly in their favor.

A top four finish would remove the risk and congestion of a playoff round and reinforce Arsenal’s status among Europe’s elite. Failure to secure it would not end their campaign, but it would extend it and raise the stakes further.

As Slegers’ side prepares to kick off in Leuven, they do so knowing that their performance must be decisive, regardless of what unfolds elsewhere. The margins are thin, the scenarios complex, and the prize significant. Wednesday night will reveal whether Arsenal’s December surge arrives just in time.