Source : ABC NEWS
For Steph Catley, nothing could have prepared her better for a Champions League final against Barcelona than the pressure and gravitas of a home Women’s World Cup.
The Arsenal defender, along with Matildas teammates Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross, will attempt to reach the pinnacle of European club football at the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon on Sunday morning AEST.
Luckily for Arsenal, the trio know all about performing on the big stage after reaching the semifinals at the 2023 World Cup.
“There’s moments in your football career that you can point to and say that’s probably the biggest moment of my career,” Catley said.
“And a lot of those come during World Cups, and I think you can’t get much more pressure than doing that on home soil.
“You know the pressure that you feel and how you deal with that, and what you learn from those occasions, it’s all invaluable.
“So, coming into a game like this, I know I feel prepared. I know I’ve played in front of big crowds before when you know everything’s on the line and it means everything to you.
“So, it’s nice to have those experiences to back me up.”
Steph Catley played a role in the Matildas’ march to the Women’s World Cup semifinals in 2023. (Getty Images: Justin Setterfield)
Barcelona is chasing its third straight Champions League title.
The European giant features the likes of Aitana Bonmatí, Caroline Graham Hansen and Alèxia Putellas on its roster.
“It is a massive challenge,” Catley said.
“We obviously respect Barcelona a lot and what they’ve done over many years in the Champions League, they’ve obviously got some incredible players.
“But the team that we have this season, in particular, is very, very resilient.
“We’ve got superstars … but I think as a team, the way we work for each other, particularly off the ball, it’s not like many teams in the world can do that.
“This is a special team, and we have a lot of belief in what we’re doing and in one another, so I think that’s hard to play against.”
If Arsenal is to pull off an upset, dynamic attacker Foord looms as the player who can break the game open.
“She’s (Foord) one of my favourite players to play with,” Catley said.
“Just because I see what she does in the small moments that most people wouldn’t, and you feel that on the field, and the energy she brings and the strength she brings.
“She’s capable of so much.
“This is the biggest stage, and I’ve never seen her shy away from a big stage, so excited to see what she can do.”
AAP
