Alessia Russo jokes 'VAR ruined' hat-trick as Karen Carney praises 'brilliant' Arsenal star in win over Real Madrid
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Published 26/03/2025 at 23:18 GMT
Alessia Russo was in rampant form at the Emirates as Arsenal fought back from a 2-0 first-leg deficit to register a 3-2 aggregate win over Real Madrid in the UEFA Women's Champions League. But despite her decisive second-half brace, the 26-year-old joked that she could have made the night even more special, had it not been for a couple of marginal VAR offside calls that denied her a hat-trick.
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Video credit: TNT Sports
Player of the match Alessia Russo was in a jovial mood after VAR denied her a first-ever hat-trick for Arsenal in The Gunners' 3-0 win over Real Madrid.
Trailing 2-0 from the first leg, Renee Slegers' side were frustrated by the visitors in the first half before three goals in 13 minutes, including a brace for Russo, completed a memorable 3-2 aggregate comeback.
The 26-year-old saw two further strikes ruled out for offside via VAR as Arsenal recorded a dominant victory over the two-time UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-finalists.
But Russo acknowledged that she might have had a hat-trick anyway, after taking eight shots at the Emirates, four of which were on target.
"VAR ruined that one," Russo joked when reminded of her would-be treble. "But no, I mean I should have scored a third anyway without the two offsides, but I'll look back and go again. But tonight, we're going to enjoy the night.
"It was amazing. It still feels a bit surreal right now, not really let it sink in yet. But we've had a lot of belief all week. We knew what we wanted to do. We knew what we're capable of as a team and we've done that tonight."
Mariona Caldentey was the other Arsenal name on the scoresheet, benefitting from a superb Chloe Kelly delivery, who also provided Russo's opener less than a minute after the interval.
And while it proved to be a tremendous team performance from the hosts, TNT Sports expert Karen Carney was sympathetic with Russo's VAR frustrations after her "brilliant" performance.
"We always want so many things in the women's game: goal-line technology, VAR. That was probably the one night Alessia Russo's thinking, 'cheers for that, guys. I don't want it. I wanted my hat-trick'!
"But she was brilliant. The second half, there was no snobbery about [Arsenal's] game. It was ruthless, it was clinical, it was direct and it was with intensity, and they deserved it. Brilliant."
With six goals, Russo is now the joint top scorer in this year's competition alongside Bayern Munich's Pernille Harder, and TNT Sports commentator Jacqui Oatley mentioned that the English attacker's output has improved dramatically since Slegers took the reins from Jonas Eidevall in October.
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After netting just once under the Swede this term, Russo has gone on to rack up 16 goals under Slegers, and TNT Sports expert Fara Williams believed a small tweak to her game has helped her rediscover her scoring touch.
"I notice small changes," said Williams. "I think some of the small changes are the work that she does without the ball and I felt before she did a lot of her movements in wide areas, away from the goal.
"I think under Renee Slegers and certainly under the guidance of Kelly Smith, she's done more work centrally, between the posts, and that's where you get most of your goals.
"I felt in the first half, she did too much of her work away and out of the area. I think that for me has been a massive change for her - she's in front of the goal and we all know that she can finish really well."
Russo herself admitted she was enjoying her football and could not stop smiling when Katie McCabe kept insisting she take the acclaim of the 22,517-strong crowd inside the Emirates - a new Women's Champions League record for a quarter-final held in England.
"It's when Katie keeps pushing me to the crowd, I don't know what to do with myself," said Russo.
"The week's been busy, but we've all been locked in and then tonight's when you enjoy, enjoy the football. We enjoyed the crowd and we'll enjoy tonight."
Arsenal will face record eight-time Champions League winners Lyon in the final four, after the French side thrashed Bayern Munich 6-1 in their quarter-final tie.
Watch the UEFA Women's Champions League live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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