It’d be hard to find a UEFA Women’s Champions League clash that has piqued interest more than Barcelona’s opening day trip to face Manchester City at Joie Stadium.
For Ona Batlle, though, this is more than just a football match. It’s an opportunity to head back to a city she once called home, and another chance for the former Manchester United defender to inflict defeat on the Cityzens.
What did Ona Batlle say?
“For me, it’s really special to play in the Champions League against great friends and great players,” the 25-year-old told reporters gathered at the CFA Media Theatre on Tuesday evening.
“I have great memories here. The people that I’ve been here with, every moment I shared with all of them is what I have in my mind and it’s what makes this city very special.”
Having previously donned a Manchester United shirt, Batlle is relishing the opportunity to stifle her former cross-city rivals’ hopes of European success. Asked if defeating the Cityzens would be made sweeter by her past, the defender joked: “I’d be lying if I said no!”
Embed from Getty Images“For me, it’s a really special day because I’m back in Manchester and going to play against Manchester City. Of course, my desire is to beat them!”
Gareth Taylor’s side have endured a lengthy absence from European competition, with their last appearance in the UEFA Women’s Champions League coming almost four years ago. That run ended with defeat to Barcelona, coincidentally.
“I think Manchester City are a team that should be in the Champions League,” Batlle commented, adding that “I think they have the players to play at this level and deserve to be here. It’s going to be a hard game.”
“When I played against Manchester City, it wasn’t the same team. It’s going to be very different but I think I have the experience to play against English teams and hopefully that experience helps the team to win tomorrow.”
Barcelona get their UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign underway at 20:00 BST on Wednesday, 9 October 2024. The match will be shown live in the United Kingdom by DAZN, with extensive coverage also available on FromTheSpot.
