Manchester City defender Alanna Kennedy believes the club’s previous pain in the UEFA Women’s Champions League spurred them on to qualify for this season’s group stage.
The Manchester club reached back-to-back semi-finals in 2016/17 and 2017/18, but their recent runs in the competition have been short-lived, or non-existent. This season, however, they have reached the group stage for the first time in four years.
For Kennedy, this will be his first taste of group stage action in the Champions League after joining from Tottenham Hotspur in 2021 and spending the early years of his career between the United States and his native Australia. “It was disappointing to be out (of the competition) at the start of my first two seasons, then not even last year,” the Australia international said.
“For us, it made us more determined to make sure we were there this time. I’m looking forward to more Champions League football.”
In the 2022/23 season, Gareth Taylor’s side were knocked out of the competition in the first qualifying round after a 1-0 defeat against Real Madrid. This time, a tough test against France’s Paris FC in the second qualifying round was the only thing that stopped them.
It was an up game city the boss was not taken lightly arsenal they were knocked out by the same opponent in the first round of the last term. That’s why City’s 8-0 aggregate victory over two legs cannot be overstated as they became one of three English clubs to reach the group stage.
Things don’t get any easier for City though, as their first test of the group stage comes in the form of a home tie against the reigning European giants. Barcelona next week The St. Austria’s Polten and Sweden’s Hammarby IF are the Manchester club’s remaining rivals looking to reach the last 16 for the first time since 2020/21.
“Regardless of whether we got Barcelona early, the draw is what it is,” Kennedy continued. “I’m looking forward to the challenge because I don’t think we’ve played them.
“I personally haven’t played them, but as a club, (we haven’t) for a few years. It will be a good challenge and a good way to start. For us, it’s about showing up consistently. Then after a good season last year, we wanted to start well.
“We are focusing on ourselves and making sure our standards are always high. Consistency is key for us this season.”
City missed out on silverware by the narrowest of margins last season. Despite matching ChelseaA tally of 55 points in the final WSL standings, an inferior goal difference meant they ultimately ended a good campaign empty-handed.
Now, they compete on four fronts with the WSL, the Champions League, FA Cup and the League Cup all on the cards in 2024/25. Kennedy believes this is exactly where the club should be.
“When you arrive at a top-level club, you want to be playing in all these competitions and fighting for trophies,” concluded the defender. “For us, we want to win all the competitions we are in this year and get our hands on some silver.
“To be part of all four competitions (is fantastic) and we’ve started well with the Champions League so far. Past experiences of coming up short have allowed us to grow and learn.
“Hopefully, this will be our season.”
