Arsenal winger Katie McCabe says the club’s injury crisis has united the squad and is fuelling their Women’s Champions League bid.
Goals from Rafaelle Souza and Stina Blackstenius helped them fight back from 2-0 down to draw the first leg of their semi-final in Germany — and they pulled off the comeback despite having the spine of their team wiped out by injury.
Star forwards Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema were ruled out for the season late last year with knee injuries, and last week it was confirmed that club captain Kim Little (hamstring) and England skipper Leah Williamson (knee) will also miss the rest of the campaign.
“To lose our captain and vice-captain in the space of a couple of days hurt us, but also it brings us together,” said McCabe. “We are out there, we are running for each other, and we are doing it for the girls back home as well.
“They are a massive part of this Champions League journey, and we just have to make sure we finish it off in the best way possible.”
Arsenal will hope to finish the job off in the second leg, which takes place a week today at Emirates Stadium, and they will be backed by a huge crowd.
More than 45,000 tickets have already been sold for the game, as Arsenal bid to reach their first Champions League Final since 2007.
“What the Emirates will do for us next week will be unbelievable,” added McCabe. “The fans are everything. We hear them, we feel them.”
Jonas Eidevall’s side got off to a bad start yesterday, going 2-0 down inside the opening 24 minutes, as Ewa Pajor and Sveindis Jonsdottir struck.
The Gunners managed to fightback, though, and afterwards Arsenal co-chair Josh Kroenke, the son of owner Stan, visited the squad in the dressing room.
“Josh Kroenke came in after to congratulate us, which was a really nice moment,” said McCabe. “It’s a touch of class — and that’s what this club is all about.”
