‘We’ve got one game left in the season and it means everything’: Catley ahead of UWCL Final

Steph Catley is looking down the barrel of one of the biggest moments of her footballing career, the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) Final, as Arsenal return to Europe’s biggest stage for the first time in 18 years.

The game will make her first Final appearance when they take on Barcelona at José Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, Portugal.

“We have a high respect for Barcelona and what they’re capable of as a team so we’re very humble going into this game but we’re going there to win,” Catley said.

“That’s our one aim, we’ve got one game left in the season and it means everything, so we’ll be going after it.”

At capacity, José Alvalade Stadium seats just over 50,000 people but after having played in a World Cup on home soil where she scored game-winning goals, Catley isn’t phased.

“I’ve played in front of big crowds before when everything’s on the line and it means everything to you,” she said.

“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.”

Arsenal finished second in the Women’s Super League behind Chelsea, a tumultuous season for the Gunners, changing coaches mid-season when Jonas Eidvall stepped down and his assistant coach Renée Slegers took over, initially in an interim position before leading Arsenal through 11 fixtures unbeaten, and being signed on a one and a half year contract.

“[Slegers] has this really unique ability to put trust in you as an individual player and as a team,” Catley said of the Dutch coach, who also played for Arsenal herself in her youth.

“The way she sets you up structurally allows you to still make decisions off instinct on the field and that allows people’s individual strengths to come out more so you’re not second guessing what you’re doing, you know as an individual you’re making a decision that the rest of the team is going to back.”

Facing a side like Barcelona, a behemoth of women’s football that have won three of the last four UWCL finals, will not be easy for Catley.

She made the move from left back to centre back this season, and she’s looking to get some inside information from her Matildas’ team-mate Ellie Carpenter, who in the 2020/21 edition of the UWCL, beat Barcelona 3-1.

“She’s obviously been there, done that and won it as well so I’m sure she’s got lots of tips for me.

“I’ll definitely be messaging her and asking her a few questions but really just focusing on our game plan and what we do week in week out.”

The game plan she speaks about is one that will likely heavily lean on her in defence, something that Slegers and the team have been making a focal point of.

“This year that’s been a massive focus for us, defensively, is consistency and details, really caring about clean sheets,” Catley said.

“When you think about us defending, it starts with the press and it starts with our forwards putting teams in situations that help us at the back to make things predictable.”

Despite all her years of experience in playing at the highest level, there’s still some astonishment at having made it all the way to the final.

“As an Australian when I was growing up, especially in Melbourne, I wouldn’t have had any idea that I could be where I am today. European football and the idea of the Champions League just wasn’t on the cards.”

Not only is the Champions League on the cards for her nowadays, so is the chance to become a winner on one of the biggest stages available. All she has to do is get through 90 more minutes of football.

“We’ve put ourselves in such an incredible position, anything can happen, two amazing teams going at it, it’s the best thing about Champions League football.”

Listen to the latest episode of The Dubcast, Round Ball Australia’s Women’s Football podcast on Spotify, Apple, or watch on YouTube, with new episodes every Wednesday.