FINAL. EMIRATES. LET’S DO IT! Arsenal stars talk before the Champions Cup final

The first ever FIFA Champions Cup has been a rollercoaster of styles – with the final week boasting four national champions from four different continents. AS FAR from Morocco, Gotham from the NWSL, and the finalists, Brazil’s Corinthians and European champions, Arsenal.

Helen M Jerome speaks to a grand total of eight Arsenal players – some of them exclusively – to hear what they make of the tournament and their thoughts about playing the final on home soil against the Brazilian champions, Corinthians.

Arsenal’s right back Emily Fox has come up against Brazilian players many times at club and international level and told me how stoked she is to play Corinthians in the final.

“I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be great.

“Final. Emirates. Let’s do it.

“This is our home base, home crowd. We, as a team, have a lot of pride and energy playing here.

“I feel confident in our fan base and they’ve always kind of been there for us when we’ve needed them in terms of momentum and bringing us up.”

Fox is typically calm about playing a Brazilian team, and says they have extensive experience of Brazilian culture too.

“All of us have that experience to bring with us playing them. It’s all… subtle movements, flare, finesse.

“We know it’s not going to be easy. We know they’re going to high press.

“We know it’s going to be hard and direct. So with that, I think we’re just excited.

“And for me, like even last year, having the option to play in Champions League and play all these different teams, this is another opportunity.

“It’s us against Corinthians, so we’re definitely taking it with the utmost preparation, and we know what they’re going to bring.”

Free-flowing

Like Fox, left centre back Steph Catley watched the Champions Cup semifinal against AS FAR from the bench, and rather enjoyed it.

“The girls put on an amazing performance.

“It was nice to see the free-flowing football, they’re capitalising on chances, something maybe we’ve not been able to do that consistently over the last month or so.

“There’s just a confidence line from the team at the moment and it was fun to watch.”

Catley also caught quite a bit of Corinthians’ unexpected victory over Gotham in the earlier semifinal and saw much to admire.

“I was really impressed with the intensity that they played at.

“Defensively they’re a collective team, they’re aggressive in everything they do and they’re very confident players, so it was an interesting watch.

“And we’ve obviously done a little bit of analysis as a team, doing more leading into the game.

“I think it’ll be a fun game.”

She agrees that Corinthians were quick to the second ball in midfield and refused to let Gotham relax.

“Yeah I think that is definitely one of their strengths; they’re very sharp and I think their passion and aggression going into a game, they’re so locked in and so big on those small moments.

“So we have to be 100% on that. That’s one of our strengths as well.

“I think whoever probably does the small things well on the game will probably come out top.

Passionate

As a footballer, Catley always appreciates the difference a big, noisy, partisan crowd can make. And she’s noticed how Corinthians team and fanbase drove each other on. Much like Arsenal’s.

“I would say from watching their game the other night, just the way they connected with their fans and their fans connected with them.

“It did remind me a lot of our fans and the way we have that relationship as well.

“It’s a very two-way street and it’s passionate.

“The fans were loud, they were riding every single clash, every single play, so I think it’ll be a battle on the pitch, but a battle off the pitch as well.

“So I’m looking forward to the atmosphere and just seeing how that dynamic comes about.”

Adapt

Beth Mead had a fantastic first half in the Champions Cup semifinal against AS FAR, and she loves the fresh challenges such a contest brings.

“When you go away on international, you play against very different styles of football. And I think this is a little bit similar.

“It’s obviously international football, on a big stage, very different tactics, a different way of going about the game and trying to figure it out.

“But I think that’s exciting.

“As a footballer, you have the opportunity to adapt, play a different style, understand how different teams are playing.

“I guess that helps you develop as an individual and as a team as well.

“I think we’ve got to back ourselves as an Arsenal team and play our football and obviously adapt to what’s in front of us.”

As for coming up against the flair of Brazilian champions Corinthians, Mead is unfazed.

“I think we play what’s in front of us. We’ll know everything about them come Sunday.

Focus

Like Beth Mead, Mariona Caldentey had a typically impactful first half in the semifinal, including an expertly-taken penalty. But the Spanish star is far from complacent about facing Corinthians in the final.

“In Corinthians, I have Andressa, a friend there who was playing with me in Barça, so I think it will be a hard tournament, and we need to be ready for everything.

“We need to be ready for everything and the good thing I think is we can adapt, we have different ways to play as well, so I think we just need to focus on us.

Mariona grins when I ask her about playing in wet, stormy, British weather.

“We don’t really have that in Spain. I think it’s cool, it feels like English football, right?

Creating

Impact sub Alessia Russo came on in the second half against AS FAR, and quickly grabbed two goals – and could easily have bagged a hattrick. For her, though, the Brentford semifinal victory was all about the team.

“It was good, we’re creating chances.

“The pitch wasn’t the best in the world, but we’re used to dealing with different things, so we got the job done and that’s the most important thing.

“I think it was important that we took the goals early as well, because the longer you leave a game like that, the more nervy it can get.

“So, I was happy to come on and contribute.”

Russo caught some of the Corinthians semifinal and has memories of coming up against some of their team at international level.  

“We watched a little bit of it too and I think a lot of us have played Brazil as well.

“We know that kind of style of football and what they try and like to do, but it’ll be a tough game.

“But we’re just happy to be at the Emirates with all of our fans with a chance to win a big trophy.”

Frida Maanum was typically modest after scoring a smart goal on the turn, and winning Player of the Match in the semifinal. Indeed, many fans were just glad to see her back after an injury that ruled her out of the Chelsea game.

“It was good to get 90 minutes. It felt great, my body felt good. Good mentally and good physically.”

Like Russo, Maanum is buoyed up by the prospect of playing Corinthians in the Champions Cup final, crucially in front of their own supporters.  

“We love to play at the Emirates in front of our fans, and we hope as many people come as possible.” 

Diversity

Calm captain in the semifinal against AS FAR, Lotte Wubben Moy, witnessed the incredible, vibrant fanbases from Morocco and Brazil taking over west London, and expects much the same for the final and the third-place playoff, saying we’re “no strangers to London being such a diverse city.”

“There are so many different communities within.

“I myself come from Tower Hamlets, Hackney, where there’s so much diversity and of course there was a big Moroccan contingent in the stadium in West London at Brentford, so that was really cool to see.

“Likewise you’ve mentioned the Corinthians fans, again a big Brazilian contingent in London too and I’m sure on Sunday they’ll bring the same energy.”

As for coming up against the Corinthians team, she says: “My only real experience is seeing Brazil play and we know their threats so I’m sure it’d be somewhat of a similar story.”

Challenge

Caitlin Foord has huge experience playing international football for Arsenal and the Matildas, and she came on at half-time against AS FAR to inject some pace down the left. And she says she loves facing the unfamiliar.

“I’ll enjoy the game and enjoy a new challenge.

“For us to keep getting better is to be able to adjust to those [challenges] as quickly as possible and to execute where we can and get results.

“What makes a great team is being able to do things on the fly, and get results against opposition from all around.

“And we love playing at the Emirates, so an extra, great game there for us will be special.”