Saturday’s UEFA Women’s Champions League final represents one of the biggest occasions of Alessia Russo’s and Kim Little’s careers.
The duo were in front of the media in Lisbon on Friday evening to preview the weekend’s clash with Barcelona, and spoke about what it means to play for us in such a big game.
“I think that any player that plays for Arsenal or comes to play for Arsenal understands that it's a winning club and it's a club that is so ambitious and wants to be at the top, competing with the best,” Russo said. “So I feel like absolutely this is where we want the club to be and this is what we'll keep pushing as players and as a group of all of us together. And we're very aware of what's come before us as well.
“Obviously Kim's played for the club for so long and she deserves to be here. And we also had lunch with some of the 2007 winners previously in the week and to understand how much it still means to them and how much they still feel a part of this club is really special for us current players.”
“Yeah, it's absolutely special to be here and to be in the final tomorrow,” Little agreed. “I think, like Alessia spoke about, our own history at our club and what we achieved in 2007. And also all the club’s done throughout that time to really progress with the game and to be one of the driving forces for the teams to perform. It's also so special to be here and to lead the club in this really special occasion.”
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Little is the only player in the current team who can recall playing in our encounters with Barcelona in 2012, when we won 4-0 at home and 3-0 away from home.
“I've not thought about it too much and it's a length of time since then! But yeah, it's also incredible for me to be at a club still and playing that kind of game against opposition who will obviously play tomorrow.
“Obviously we came out on top in those games. I don't have many memories from the game. I know my friend Jen [Beattie] scored and I think I scored in one of them as well. So yeah, obviously special memories to be in the Champions League then and I hope to create more memories like that tomorrow.”
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