City settle to life in the Euro zone
SCOTLAND defender Jennifer Beattie is aiming to end the biggest year of her career by helping Manchester City progress towards Women’s Champions League glory.
City fly out to Russia on Monday ahead of Wednesday’s second leg of their Round of 32 tie against Zvezda, who they beat 2-0 at the Academy Stadium on Thursday in what was the Super League title winners’ first ever Champions League game.
And Beattie, who among other achievements in 2016 has won her 100th Scotland cap, says that her team will not be looking to simply protect their lead. The former Arsenal player, who experienced Champions League football with the Gunners, insisted: “We’ll be aiming to go out and win the game.
Happy
“We’re happy with a 2-0 lead from the first leg. To not concede an away goal was massive for us – we pride ourselves on keeping clean sheets and hopefully we’ll do it again on Wednesday, but we want to go through with another win.”
A Round of 16 tie in November beckons as Beattie looks to complete an amazing year of success that she started with an Australian W-League title while on loan at City’s affiliated club Melbourne City.
The 25-year-old defender followed that by becoming an international centurion in March, then helping Scotland qualify for next year’s European Championship finals – the first major tournament in the country’s history – and then playing a key role as City won their maiden WSL title and lifted the Continental Cup.
“It’s been an incredible year for me,” said Beattie. “I loved my time with Melbourne, and then to win my 100th cap was so special. I had all my family at the game (against Spain at Falkirk) and it was an incredibly proud day. And to be part of the squad that then got us through to next year’s Euro finals has been fantastic. Playing at a major international tournament is something I’ve wanted to do for so long, and I’m really looking forward to Euro 2017.
Focus
“But right now my focus is Manchester City and building on what we’ve achieved in the Super League. I won the league with Arsenal, but they’d won so many things before that it was almost expected.
“Being at City now and among players who have just won the league for the first time, I’ve seen
just how much it means to everyone – not only as individuals but as a team and a club. It’s the most tight-knit team I’ve ever been a part of.
“Now we’ve tied up the league and won the Continental Cup we want to be successful in Europe. It’s going to be a real challenge, because the quality in the Champions League is getting so much better.
“It takes you out of your comfort zone, so although we’ve got a 2-0 first leg lead against Zvezda we know it’s going to be tough in Russia. But every competition that we’re in, we want to win – and we want to be in this one to the very end.”