Mariona, the 'friendly fire' that threatens Barcelona's fourth Champions League title

"It's a strange feeling." Mariona Caldentey (Felanich, 1996) doesn't hide it and confesses it naturally. That girl who wanted to fit into Ronaldinho 's boots and who lived the dream of becoming a footballer at La Masía, where her idols lived, is today the main threat to FC Barcelona , ​​her Barça, from lifting its fourth Champions League title and enhancing a legend of which she was a part, "a unique, historic team, not only for winning but for how it won," she said herself when, through tears, she announced her departure a year ago.

She did so in search of new challenges and chose Arsenal . There she was voted the Women's Super League Player of the Season and, with her eight Champions League goals and Alessia Russo's (8), she has led them to a final they only reached and won in 2007. Despite the multi-million pound investments in recent years, no English team has been crowned European Champion in almost 20 years. That's why they are facing a dream they can't waste.

Mariona is the 'friendly fire' threatening a fourth European crown, which would allow Pere Romeu's team to get a little closer to the legendary Olympique Lyonnais , with eight trophies, four of them consecutive, and place themselves in second place alongside Eintracht Frankfurt . It would also complete a circle because 2012 was the year of the Blaugrana's debut in the European Cup against the Gunners . That thrashing began a journey of 100 matches in which a voracity has been born that could lead them to win all four titles they are competing for this season. In the bag are the Liga F and Super Cup , and the four-peat could be completed with the Champions League and the Copa del Reina against Atlético.

Mariona knows what her friends are looking for, and she stopped texting them a few days ago, "to control the excitement," she confesses. She only wanted Barça in the final, and to get there, Arsenal had to come from behind against Real Madrid in the quarterfinals and also Olympique Lyonnais in the semifinals. "That's why we're going to win, not to experience it," the player makes clear, adding that if she scores, "I won't celebrate."

If her coach, Renée Slegers , needed a report—which she doesn't, as she's only lost three matches since taking over after Jonas Eidevall's dismissal—Mariona could accurately dissect her former team. "Barça isn't invincible," she recalls. Her eyes will be on the two-time Ballon d'Or winners , Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas , but the one she'd most likely take off the pitch is Patri Guijarro . "She makes it very easy for the team to function," she explains from London. She also keeps an eye on Claudia Pina , a player with whom she was fighting for a place a year ago and who has grown since her departure.

If the Balearic native knows how Barça can damage and where they can falter, she is also aware of the limitations of her team, which she describes as "sparky," capable of scoring a lot but also of conceding.

She's involved in defensive duties, but she was signed to "raise the bar" with her "tactical intelligence," as her coach acknowledges. In Lisbon, Mariona will pursue a dream in a very different jersey than the one she dreamed of as a child.