Interview Alexandra Jonson  

We are a very complete team. We know what we are doing technically, tactically… it’s special. We have taken a step forward physically and our mindset is very positive – it unites us and keeps us wanting to fight and win. Since our first final in Budapest [in 2019], we’ve grown a lot, we aren’t the same team. We didn’t have experience then and physically we were far off the big teams. Now we’re one of the teams to beat. It’s not easy to reach five finals in [six seasons]. When you win trophies year upon year, it’s easy to let your level slip. It can feel like every year is the same. However, we still have the same aims and demands, and that’s not easy because behind every final, every trophy, there is suffering, both individually and collectively. 

These are the kinds of big games that really excite me. They keep me growing as a footballer. They are the reason I am a footballer. Playing Champions League matches helps you become better. You’re coming up against the best teams that demand the most from you and make things difficult. That brings out the best version of yourself.  

We still haven’t beaten Lyon yet; it shows how good they are. It will be a very even final between two great teams with contrasting styles. They are an excellent team. There isn’t a clear favourite. I have bitter memories of the 2022 final. We just couldn’t play our game; we weren’t ourselves. They played the game they wanted and didn’t give us time. You come away feeling powerless. But I always say you learn from these games. Last season we faced a test against Wolfsburg, coming from 2-0 down at half-time to win 3-2. You must never lose hope: there’s always a chance of getting back into games.   

Football is my whole life, almost. I’ve been in this sport for years, fighting every day to achieve my dreams, to become a better player. When you want to give the best version of yourself every day, you must learn how to handle your emotions. I believe football is an expression of life, an expression of who I am: that competitive, ambitious and ‘winning’ personality. What you see on the pitch is how I am: electric, energetic… hyperactive.  

Mentality is what takes you to another level. You might have talent, you might understand the game, but without that ambition, that will to win, it’s hard to achieve everything we are achieving. What drives you is your mentality, it’s what gets you up every day to keep wanting to win. That’s the case for my team!