Author: Emma Sanders

Getty ImagesEmma SandersBBC Sport women’s football news reporter in Estoril, Portugal4 hours ago24 CommentsSmoke cannons blasting off behind the goal, live music bursting out from a DJ set during corners and free shirts being thrown to fans at half-time – this was not the usual experience Europe’s top female footballers are accustomed to.”Carnage. Just chaos,” said Manchester United manager Marc Skinner, fresh from his side’s 3-2 win over Roma in Portugal.The Women’s World Sevens kicked off in Estoril on Wednesday with Manchester United and Manchester City among the eight clubs involved.The new seven-a-side competition has a prize money pool of $5m (£3.76m) – more than what the Women’s Champions League winners will earn three days later in Lisbon.With rolling substitutes, no offsides and 15-minute halves, it’s a format that brings out flair and creativity, as well as attacking intent.England international Jess Park began lighting things up when she nutmegged a player to earn a corner, prompting the DJ as she prepared the set-piece in Manchester City’s opening 4-0 win over Rosengard.United duo Celin Bizet and Grace Clinton took the fun to another level shortly afterwards, chest bumping in celebration after England midfielder Clinton’s clever chip drew gasps from the 200-odd fans watching on in the stands.By the time Bayern Munich came on, beating Ajax 4-2, players were full of fun and energy – Norwegian defender Tuva Hansen even whipping off her shirt to celebrate in Chloe Kelly style after scoring a rare goal.”I really enjoyed it. I think the Roma players took it a bit more seriously than us! We had loads of fun,” said United’s Clinton.”We’ve all come here as a team. We didn’t really know what to expect. This is what we want to do in training every day. We really embraced it.”It’s a lot more high-intensity but also free. It’s very unpredictable because you don’t know where the ball will go. It’s more enjoyable I would say.”‘I like the ginga – we like these vibes’Getty ImagesGames are being played at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota – a 5,000-capacity ground in Estoril – but it was transformed for the World Sevens.From 20:30 BST on Saturday, following Estoril men’s 4-0 win over Estrela, stands were built, TV cameras put in place and large screens put up.The match schedule was shuffled after United’s men reached the Europa League final – which they lost 1-0 to Tottenham on Wednesday – so Skinner’s side played earlier at the World Sevens to avoid a clash.Fans initially came in slowly, with little more than 100 watching City’s win over Rosengard, but alcoholic drinks were flowing as more came throughout the night, filling a stand on the far side before Paris St-Germain’s 2-1 win over Benfica.”It is interesting. It is something different. The stadium looks nice,” said City fan Leanne Woodall, who travelled out to Estoril.Fan Charlotte Wilkins added: “I play seven-a-side football so I was really excited to see how the professional players did it and the tactics they used.”We couldn’t find where we needed to go when we first got here, but now we’re in, it’s really good and there’s good vibes so far. It’s exciting.”Organisers hope to fill the arena on Friday when the semi-finals and final will be played and more fans fly out to Portugal in anticipation of Saturday’s Champions League final between Barcelona and Arsenal (17:00 BST).But first impressions from the players were certainly positive.”It was so nice, I was really sad it was only one game today, I could play all day like this,” said Roma’s Hawa Cissoko.”I think we took the game a bit more seriously at the beginning than Manchester United, they arrived on the pitch really [relaxed]. “Them doing this made me think ‘we are here to have fun’. We were doing this when we were kids. It makes me feel a bit like [I did] 10 years ago. That’s so nice.”Manchester City interim manager Nick Cushing said the style of football was how they “believe the game should be played”.Brazil forward Kerolin added: “I liked a lot the music. In Portugal the weather is really nice so everyone is like ‘OK, we like these vibes’. “Of course we want to win and get some money! But it’s a little bit Brazilian I think. I like the ginga [an informal Brazilian term for expression of creativity with agility and trickery].”I want to get back those things and be a little bit brave. Today I was a little bit unsure – but it will come.”‘Good opportunity to show Swedish football’Clubs’ participation in the tournament has been controversial, with some questioning the timing and the risk of injury with Euro 2025 starting on 2 July.Rosengard face BK Hacken in the Swedish league on Saturday (14:00 BST) but travelled to Estoril to take part.”We had some reactions in Sweden, that we came here, because we have a game,” said Rosengard midfielder Emelia Larsson.”For us, it’s like taking a break from all of it. You miss a training week, but if you put that aside, I think it’s just really fun to be here. “It’s a good opportunity to show ourselves and show Swedish football.”Manager Joel Kjetselberg said it was good practise to prepare for Champions League football, for which they would travel midweek, in between weekend matches.City held around five training sessions to prepare for the World Sevens, while United had one. “We would only be doing this in training all week anyway,” said United’s Clinton.”If we were going into the next England camp, we would all have just been doing small-sided games anyway. “This is probably a better outcome and gives us more fitness.”Getty ImagesHead here to get involvedRelated topicsFootballWomen’s Football

Getty ImagesEmma SandersBBC Sport women’s football news reporter5 hours ago33 CommentsMariona Caldentey was kissing the Women’s Champions League trophy a year ago, clutching the badge on her chest while donning the blue and red stripes of Barcelona, having won her 15th major trophy with the club.Now she is preparing to face her former team for the first time since leaving them last summer to join Arsenal.The Gunners will attempt to win a first European title since 2007 in Lisbon on Saturday (17:00 BST) and it helps to have a star in their team who lived and breathed opponents Barcelona for a decade.Caldentey did not come through Barcelona’s youth ranks, but spent 10 seasons at the home of the defending European champions, scoring 114 goals in 302 games. There will be no holding back in Saturday’s Champions League final though as Caldentey hopes to spearhead Arsenal – the place she now calls home – to success. “I feel really confident, I can play my football, I can enjoy it. I am in the right place. I am where I want to be,” the Spain international, 29, said.Can she cap off an impressive debut season for Arsenal with the ultimate club prize she became so accustomed to winning at Barcelona?’We always said she was like magic’ Getty ImagesCaldentey arrived in north London at a rocky time for Arsenal in July 2024 and some in Spain doubted if she had made the right decision. Gunners legend Vivianne Miedema had been allowed to leave for rivals Manchester City weeks before and fan unrest was building towards former boss Jonas Eidevall.Pressure was on Caldentey – a World Cup winner with Spain – to help guide Arsenal safely through a potentially treacherous Champions League qualification path.But she did not take long to settle as 10 months later, Caldentey was awarded the Women’s Super League Player of the Season having scored nine goals and assisted five in 21 games. It should not have come as a surprise.”She was a crucial player for Barca’s style,” Spanish journalist Maria Tikas, who writes for national newspaper Sport, told BBC Sport.”The fans and media didn’t value her enough for how important she was. We always said that she was like magic.”It was sad she left, but I knew she was going to be good in England. She really showed quickly the kind of player she was and now at an important moment of the season she has showed it again.”Caldentey’s first goal came in a 4-0 win over BK Hacken, sealing Arsenal’s progression to the Champions League group stages in September.The club believed Caldentey could take them to the next level when they signed her but she could not have predicted how impressive her first season would be.”Not at all. I didn’t have any expectation. I just made my decision and went for it,” said Caldentey. “Everyone helped me a lot from the first day so it was kind of easy to adapt to the new challenge. I’ve just had fun playing football.”‘A total footballer’Getty Images”She’s a total footballer. She’s got everything,” Arsenal manager Renee Slegers said of Caldentey earlier this season.Her impact was instant and transformative.Arsenal went from a struggling side at the start of the season to a team marching up the table, sealing second spot in the WSL and competing with Europe’s elite. Caldentey’s role was to be the creator, linking up with WSL Golden Boot winner Alessia Russo and providing stardust from midfield.”She’s given us so much,” Slegers added. “There are so many things to say about Mariona, because she does so many things so well. She has given us that next level.”Technically and tactically – her intelligence is really high level. Her work ethic is unbelievable. You can see it in games, but you can see it on the training pitch as well.”Last but not least, she’s a winner.”After Arsenal beat Tottenham 5-0 at Emirates Stadium, a journalist described Caldentey as the conductor of an orchestra, with eight legs like an octopus.The analogy surprised Slegers but she admitted it was a good description.Arsenal captain Kim Little, who has played alongside Caldentey this season, said she has been “incredible” for the team.”She came in from Barcelona and had a great impact on the team, on a personal level and also with how we play,” she told BBC Radio 5 Live.’If one player is going to lead the pack, it’s her’Getty ImagesThere will no doubt be mixed emotions for Caldentey when she faces Barcelona in Lisbon.She was “underrated” but “now finally appreciated” by those in Spain, said Tikas, but will she come back to haunt them?”When we talked to Barca players after the semi-finals, they were really happy to face Mariona and said it will be really special for them,” Tikas added.”She knows how Barcelona play and how Arsenal can damage Barcelona.”Caldentey has spoken to some of the Barcelona players – they remain “close friends” after all – but they have avoided speaking about the final.”We did exchange some messages but it is a bit weird so we didn’t speak too much about [the game],” she added. “I didn’t tell them [we would win] but they know that is what I want!”From Arsenal’s perspective, they hope Caldentey’s close links with Barca will give them an advantage.”I did an interview with Aitana Bonmati the other day and mentioned Mariona,” journalist Alex Ibaceta told the Women’s Football Weekly podcast. “She said we know the player she is, we know what she is capable of.”Mariona is going to be key in letting the players know what disturbs Barcelona. If there is one player that is going to lead the pack, it’s going to be her. Arsenal have enough quality to be able to put out a gameplan so Mariona can give them the tips and tricks on how to defeat Barcelona.”Head here to get involvedRelated topicsFootballWomen’s Football