When Arsenal took on Bayern Munich in their first match of this season's Champions League group stage, they looked anything but contenders for the trophy. As former Chelsea star Pernille Harder ripped through the Gunners fragile defence to bag a magical hat-trick in a 5-2 demolition, you would've been hard-tasked in finding anyone who believed the English side could, just seven months later, reach the final of this competition. And yet, that is where Arsenal are, gearing up to face Barcelona in the showpiece event on Saturday.
It's an even more remarkable turnaround when one considers that, less than a week later, head coach Jonas Eidevall stepped down from his role. It came amid poor form in general, with the Gunners winning just one of their first four Women's Super League fixtures, and as the belief in Eidevall's ideas among the players was visibly fading. In stepped his assistant, Renee Slegers, for what most imagined would be a short interim stint.
Except it wasn't. As each week passed, Slegers' stock grew impressively, owing to an 11-game unbeaten run that featured 10 wins. It culminated in her deservedly earning the job on a permanent basis in January - and the honeymoon period didn't end there. In the four months since, the 36-year-old has continued that in Europe in particular, to guide Arsenal to a first Champions League final since they won this competition in 2007.
She has completely and utterly turned the Gunners' season around - but how?