Greenwood excited by Man City playing in ´pinnacle´ of football

Manchester City captain Alex Greenwood is excited by the challenge that competing in the Champions League will bring to the club as they aim to win it for the first time.

They face Barcelona at home on Wednesday in their opening match in Group D, having failed make it past the qualifying rounds in the previous two years.

City ensured they would avoid the same fate this time around though, with an emphatic 8-0 aggregate victory over Paris FC.

The significance of being in the competition was not lost on Greenwood.

“It’s the pinnacle to win the Champions League. To win this competition is another level,” she said.

“It’s exciting. I’m looking forward to that. We belong here, we’ve missed out and been frustrated by that.”

Barcelona have won the tournament in three of the last four seasons, while they were beaten finalists in 2021-22, losing 3-1 to Lyon.

City last faced the Spanish giants in their last appearance in the competition, losing 4-2 on aggregate in the 2020-21 quarter-final before Barcelona went on to win their first Champions League.

Despite being knocked out, City did win 2-1 in the home leg in 2021. Of the team that played that day, only England team-mates Greenwood and Chloe Kelly remain at the club.

The new @ManCityWomen captain

@AlexGreenwood #UWCL pic.twitter.com/bgWnZjRQXq

— UEFA Women’s Champions League (@UWCL) September 21, 2024

“I don’t remember it clearly, but I do remember the game,” said Greenwood.

“Our team has changed so much since then. The way we prepare is different, we look different now and are a lot more prepared.”

One familiar face who could line up against Manchester City on Wednesday is Keira Walsh, who moved from them to Barcelona for a then world-record transfer fee of approximately £400,000 in September 2022.

“I could speak about Keira all day, she’s an incredible footballer,” said Greenwood.

“What she does off the ball and on the ball, she’s an incredible player. She’s improved and added assists to her game, hopefully not tomorrow!”

Meanwhile, Gareth Taylor believes his club are about to face the biggest challenge they possibly could.

“I would say they are the best team in the world, especially over the period of the last four or five years,” he said.

“Barcelona have really dominated this last three-year period. In terms of that taking the pressure off us, not at all. We’ve worked tremendously hard to be here.

“The cream always rises to the top. We want to see the best players on the best stage and this is what it is.”