After withdrawing from the England squad last week, the ex-Manchester United striker is a doubt for the Gunners' clash with the French giants

When Arsenal welcomed Real Madrid to the Emirates Stadium last month, trailing 2-0 from a disappointing first leg in Spain, they were bidding to become the first team in seven years to prevail in a Women's Champions League knockout tie despite going into the second leg with a two-goal deficit. Thanks to an almighty performance, and a 3-0 win, the Gunners did exactly that – and Alessia Russo was right at the heart of it all.

The Lionesses star was unlucky not to leave with a match ball, having scored two huge goals and then had another couple disallowed for marginal offsides. She was brilliant with her finishing in high-pressure moments and exceptional in so many other areas of her game, too, particularly her pressing. There were a lot of stand out performers in red that night, with Chloe Kelly and Mariona Caldentey others who really stepped up, but it was hard to disagree with Russo being named Player of the Match.

Thinking back to how pivotal the forward was in that massive game, it would be cruel if she was to miss the fixture that it set-up: a Champions League semi-final against eight-time winners Lyon. After withdrawing from the England squad midway through last week's international break, Russo is a doubt as the French champions visit London for the first leg on Saturday. It would not just be a blow to her as an individual, either. Indeed, of all the players that Arsenal could lose for this tie, she might be the most crucial in what is a testament to her growth as a player this season in particular.

AFPHitting new heights

It's been a career-best goal-scoring season for Russo, and there is still plenty of football left to play, too. The 26-year-old is on track for her most prolific return in the Women's Super League, just one strike off last season's tally of 12, and has scored seven times in the Champions League. Only Barcelona's Claudia Pina has netted more times in the competition proper so far this term, with the England star also just one behind Manchester City's Khadija Shaw in the race for the WSL Golden Boot.

In the league, she is out-performing her expected goals (xG) statistic by 2.12, having under-performed by 0.41 last term; her big chance conversion rate has soared to a career-best 57 percent, having stood just below 43% last year; and her shot conversion rate has also improved from 15.2% to 17.7%.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMore than a goal-scorer

But it's not just the goals Russo scores that make her crucial to Arsenal. "She does so many other things for the team as well that are so important," Gunners boss Renee Slegers said after that win over Real Madrid. "You saw our press for example, today. She put so much work into it, like the others.

"It's always good for forwards and the players who get into those positions to finish attacks and get the ball into the net. It's important for them because that's something they need to bring to the team in games. Of course, it's good for Less. But you can see she's so consistent, stable, as a person, that she doesn't get swayed by if she scores or not, or what exactly her contribution to the result is. She just works really hard for the team and she keeps on going."

Be it her hard work off the ball, her ability to link play or how she creates for others, Russo is a vital cog in an Arsenal team that has been seriously impressive since Slegers took charge back in October.

Getty Images SportValuable back-up…

So, what do the Gunners do if they are without Russo on Saturday? They do have another top-level striker in their squad, in Stina Blackstenius. With over 100 caps for Sweden and experience playing in major finals for club and country, she is no stranger to the pressure that a big game like this one against Lyon brings.

She's also got an impressive list of huge moments in Arsenal colours. In last year's League Cup final, it was Blackstenius who delivered the match-winning moment in extra-time to defeat Chelsea 1-0, while the Gunners' run to the Champions League semi-finals in the 2022-23 season saw the Swede score in three successive knockout games, with her strike in the second leg of the quarter-final against Bayern Munich sealing Arsenal's place in the last four.

Getty ImagesBut a very different one

However, Blackstenius is a completely different player to Russo. As far as centre-forwards go, the two almost could not be less alike. If the Swede was to start instead, Arsenal would have to at least slightly change the way they set-up for this tie, as Blackstenius will not hold the ball up in the same way as her English team-mate, she won't be as involved in linking play and building attacks, and she'll naturally look to get in behind with her great movement and electric pace, which will require a different type of service when compared to that Russo typically demands.

It all serves to highlight just how important the England star is to what Arsenal do. At times in the past, she has come in for criticism because her strengths have been in things aside from the goal-scoring, with her certainly not a typical No.9. But the work Russo has done to improve in front of goal deserves a lot of credit and it has seen her deliver plenty of important strikes while remaining so central to the Gunners' all-round principles.