Mariona Caldentey commented on the upcoming fixture for Arsenal against Real Madrid.
The Spain midfielder made her mark in the game as a key player for Barcelona before moving to North London in the summer of 2024. She is used to playing against Real Madrid from her experiences in domestic football, and was also part of a big victory against the side last season.
The Gunners grabbed a semi-final spot in the Champions League after overturning a 2-0 deficit in the second leg. They could do with a similar result after two losses from three games in the league phase so far, and the quality of their number eight is a big part of that equation for success.
“It will always be special to play against Real Madrid. I’m a Barca kid, I have been in Barca for 10 years, so that’s a big rivalry. I’m excited, I think we have a really good chance to show everyone and ourselves what we want to do and they are a big team, so I’m really excited to play against them.
“Linda Caicedo is smashing it this year. She’s playing really good and Caroline Weir as well. Eva Navarro is now playing more and more, Sara Dabritz, Filippa Angeldahl, we know all the players.
“They have a big squad and they are a strong team, but we saw it last year in the first leg, we weren’t good enough, they smashed us, and in the second leg we were good and then we hurt them.
“I think it will be about us if we are in our best performance, I believe and I know we can hurt them.
“I’m now 29 and I spent 10 years in the same club. I had that step, a big chance and a big change in my career. I proved to myself that I can play not only in Barca style, which I think was important. It’s just so nice when your teammates are training and working with you every day. It’s really nice.”
