Arsenal return to competitive football this evening as the Gunners host Rangers in the opening round of the UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifying stages. The mini-tournament consists of two rounds, with the winner of the four sides qualifying for the second stage of proceedings.

After tasting bitter defeat in the final of the first-round last September in a penalty shootout loss to Paris FC, the Gunners return to the European competition with the aim of setting things right.

Vice-captain Leah Williamson addressed the press at Sobha Realty Training Centre on Tuesday afternoon as the Gunners gear up for an important fixture at home.

‘We lived to regret that for the rest of the year’

Reflecting on the disappointment of last season’s European run, Williamson spoke “We lived to regret that for the rest of the year. Everyone knows what it feels like to lose, but one of our strengths is the intensity that we play at and I think when pressure comes, tension can be taken from that.” Adding, “We’ve underperformed so to speak.”

The Gunners defender spoke on the mounting pressure of having such an important fixture arrive immediately after preseason, expressing “I think when pressure arrives, a lot of that pressure can be taken out by the way that you play and I’ve seen that on the training pitch, dealing with that transition from playing friendlies then into competitive football and the most competitive you can play is in knockout [football]. It’s been fun to watch, us as a team deal with that over the last week, a couple of weeks, but I think we’re ready. Everyone knows what it means there.”

Despite the disappointment of falling over at the first hurdle in last season’s European campaign, Williamson expressed, “There’s been a number of teams at the top of the game and we’ve tried to take trophies off of each other and it doesn’t always go your way. I think we are getting closer and I’m enjoying the way we are playing.

I’m enjoying being part of it and seeing how we grow and take what we already had to the next level, because it does need to go up, but I don’t think that’s too far away.“

‘I feel more prepared’

Arsenal have not been awarded the luxury of a holistic preseason across several years, as major tournaments continue to disrupt the flow of preparations whilst also adding extra load on the players.

Speaking in regards to her own preseason as the Lionesses fell short of Olympic qualification, Williamson spoke “Yeah, I can’t sit there and tell you it’s been the perfect off-season and preseason because it hasn’t. We’ve not been allowed that luxury for a long time and I never thought I’d wish for a real preseason where you’re made to run and you feel awful to be quite honest.

I’m trying to think of polite words to use to describe a normal preseason but I feel more prepared than I have done, way more prepared, than previous years and to be honest being back on the pitch personally is a win for me to be competing for my spot in the squad and then to compete for Arsenal in this stage. So, I feel good, I think a lot of the girls have had more time than they have done for a long time.”

‘Excited’ to be back with Gunners fans

As last year’s first-round battle was fought out in Sweden, this season the Gunners are treated to the luxury of hosting the mini-tournament at Meadow Park.

Reflecting on the home advantage that will be at play, Williamson expressed “I’m so excited! I think my family’s more excited than me, they’ve missed it as well.”

She continued, “But Boreham Wood, we’ve had some unbelievable Champions League nights there. I’ve got some great memories there as well. I think Arsenal fans right now, it’s incredible what they show up with every single game, even Southampton at the weekend. The support that we have is incredible and gives you a little taster of it.

So I’m excited to be back in front of them and share that with them again. We talk about going from friendlies to all of a sudden knock-out football and pressurised situations. But I think as soon as you walk out, with the warm-up especially, and you hear them and you see them, we know what’s at stake. But ultimately, it’s at home, so there’s a huge benefit to that as well.“

Welcoming newest signings

Arsenal welcomed some world-class talent to their ranks throughout the summer transfer window, as experienced Mariona Caldentey and exciting Rosa Kafaji both put pen to paper in North London.

Speaking on how both are settling in to life at Arsenal, Williamson said “I think the most important thing is making them feel comfortable enough to bring what they’ve been brought here to bring. I can imagine it’s quite an intimidating environment just because there are so many of us who have been here so long now as well, and the team’s been quite stable for the last couple of years. So, you are the odd one out effectively.

We as people have a fantastic environment here so that doesn’t concern me, but on the pitch, it’s trying to get across how we do things and how we have done things, whilst also giving them enough room to showcase themselves, because they’ve been brought here as an addition to our team and it’s important that they feel comfortable to bring that out.”

Arsenal will face Rangers this evening at Meadow Park in the opening round of UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifiers. Proceedings will head underway at 19:30 BST.