Chloe Kelly gamble vindicated as Arsenal transformation continues | OneFootball

Confidence is back flowing through Lionesses star, who was at the heart of Champions League comeback against Real Madrid

Kelly starred as Arsenal booked a spot in the Champions League semi-finals

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When Chloe Kelly joined Arsenal on loan in January, she would have been dreaming of nights like this.

The odds had looked stacked against the Gunners after they lost the first leg of their quarter-final 2-0 last week, but back at Emirates Stadium they turned it around on a famous night.

Kelly was at the heart of the comeback, setting up two of Arsenal’s three goals during a blitz at the start of the second half.

Kelly set up two of Arsenal’s three goals during a blitz at the start of the second half against Real Madrid

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The winger had spent the opening 45 minutes putting in several dangerous crosses, but no one could get on the end of them.

It presumably made head coach Renee Slegers’ half-time team talk quite simple - get on the end of Kelly’s crosses and Real Madrid’s resistance will break.

Alessia Russo and Mariona Caldentey duly obliged, both finding the net from a Kelly cross in the opening four minutes of the second half.

Russo would go on to score the third and decisive goal, picking up the player of the match award in the process, but this night was just as much about Kelly.

The 27-year-old took the bold decision to force through a move away from Manchester City in January after falling out of favour there.

Struggling for game time, Kelly feared for her place in the England squad ahead of this summer’s Euros.

The winger posted on Instagram that she wanted “to be happy again” and Arsenal swooped to sign her on deadline day.

Kelly’s beaming smile is certainly back now and she danced on the pitch at full-time on Wednesday, before jumping into Beth Mead as the pair shared a huge hug.

Kelly shared a hug with Beth Mead after the full-time whistle

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“We’re very happy she’s with us,” said Slegers. “I think we played to her strengths today really well, but also Madrid gave her the opportunity to play to her strengths.

“There was quite a lot of space so we set up situations where there was space for Chloe to do the things she’s good at.

“She joined us with a lot of motivation and with a smile on her face and she said: ‘I want to enjoy football. I want to represent Arsenal. I want to do my best for the team’.

“I think that’s what she’s done since she came in. I knew the qualities she had as a player but to see her day in, day out, I think she really contributes to our training environment. She’s very feisty, she’s a winner, very competitive. She’s great.”

This win over Real Madrid underlined the transformation Kelly has enjoyed at Arsenal in the space of just two months.

The confidence is back flowing through her and she caused Real Madrid’s defence so many problems. The two assists were just reward for her performance, but on another night she could have finished with three or four.

In this kind of form, few defences can stop Kelly and, if she keeps it up, then it is hard to see how her move to Arsenal does not become a permanent one.

She is out of contract in the summer and, having let Kelly go in 2018 after she came through their academy, Arsenal will surely want to keep hold of her this time.