'I kept saying "do you believe in magic?" - and magic delivered'

"All I kept saying was, 'do you judge successful magic?'."

Standing successful beforehand of 10,000 Arsenal fans extracurricular Emirates Stadium connected Monday, puerility instrumentality Leah Williamson took to nan microphone pinch a Champions League winners badge astir her neck.

Stina Blackstenius scored nan only extremity arsenic Renee Slegers' broadside stunned European giants Barcelona to triumph their first European title successful 18 years.

Arsenal whitethorn person been nan underdogs heading into Saturday's last against a Barca broadside chasing a 3rd successive Champions League title, but Williamson ever believed.

"I've been saying nan full time, each my team-mates will show you each I kept saying was 'do you judge successful magic?'," she said. "That's what I could feel.

"I knew it was going to hap against Lyon, I knew it was going to hap successful nan final. And magic delivered."

Williamson joined Arsenal astatine nan property of 8 and was mascot erstwhile Arsenal past won nan title successful 2007.

Interviewed connected shape by her adjacent friend and scorer of Arsenal's 2007 Champions League-winning goal, Alex Scott, nan 28-year-old had a lump successful her pharynx arsenic she addressed nan crowd.

"We knew it was going to beryllium a typical time but erstwhile we each walked retired coming we said 'this is 1 of those moments'. This is 1 of nan moments I'll show my grandkids about.

"I person been knowledgeable my full life and seen pinch my ain 2 eyes really successful Arsenal person been, particularly Arsenal women. All I ever wanted to do was beryllium a portion of it. It's very special.

"My club. My Arsenal. Champions League winners. European champions."

There were grey skies complete northbound London connected Monday, but nan oversea of reddish and achromatic arsenic fans packed retired Armoury Square successful their thousands was a show to behold.

The celebrations were constricted to a 10,000 capacity for information reasons but fans turned retired successful their droves, immoderate of which arrived arsenic early astatine 06:00 BST to guarantee they secured their spot.

Arsenal's nine canine Win - brought to nan nine by men's leader Mikel Arteta to create nan family ambiance - was beforehand and centre arsenic Beth Mead held him during nan event.

Left-back Katie McCabe was surviving her champion life arsenic she took to nan microphone to lead nan karaoke, pinch Sweet Caroline, Freed From Desire and Simply nan Best among nan songs belted retired by players and fans alike.

"I've been pinch these girls for astir 10 years," McCabe said erstwhile addressing nan crowd. "Red is successful my blood.

"These group of girls is everything you request successful a squad and that is why we did it connected Saturday nighttime successful Lisbon."

Arsenal stay nan only English nine to triumph nan Women's Champions League and now debar going done nan qualification rounds for adjacent season's competition, going consecutive into nan group shape arsenic holders.

The Gunners' triumph successful Lisbon is moreover much singular fixed their turbulent commencement to nan season. They won only connected of their opening 4 convention games and mislaid nan first limb of their first information Champions League qualifying match.

Boss Jonas Eidevall resigned successful October, pinch Slegers appointed arsenic interim to dependable nan ship, earlier being fixed nan occupation connected a imperishable ground successful January.

Slegers had ne'er managed beyond nan group stages of nan Champions League this season, and her achievements are still sinking in.

"There were truthful galore emotions aft nan game," nan Dutchwoman told nan crowd. "I thought erstwhile I came location I would beryllium taking it in, but I ordered nutrient and fell asleep.

"If you are together and you enactment together immoderate happens and you want to go amended each day, pinch nan instauration of being really bully players you tin scope precocious levels and that's what we person done."

Before Arsenal players lifted nan trophy and were showered successful reddish and achromatic confetti, nan past connection went to nan matchwinner and history-maker Blackstenius.

"It's conscionable astonishing opinionated present pinch this squad and each of you," she said. "We won nan Champions League and it feels unbelievable successful each way."