Kerstin Casparij is wanting ahead to a quiet, cosy Manchester-based Christmas this yr, having lastly been capable of raise the lid on her new and improved Manchester Metropolis deal.
“It’s been a long time coming but a nice early Christmas present,” she tells Sky Sports activities, from the Joie Stadium, which she cheerily calls “home”.
Casparij arrived from her native Netherlands in 2022, signed from Twente, in response to Lucy Bronze leaving for Barcelona the identical summer season. Then 22, the defender took a while to get acquainted with life within the north west in addition to Man Metropolis’s distinctive model of fast-flowing soccer, however is now thriving in her settled environment.
“I’ve really settled into Manchester and I’m having a great time,” she continues. “I’m not a big city girl, and Manchester doesn’t feel like a big city, it’s cosy. The people are incredibly nice, which I hear is a northern thing.
“I am having fun with my time on the membership. The values the membership have actually align with me and who I’m as an individual, but additionally on a soccer stage, I’ve grown a lot right here.”
Casparij has performed each minute of Man Metropolis’s Ladies’s Tremendous League marketing campaign this season, as Gareth Taylor’s facet path champions Chelsea by six factors within the desk. The complete-back, reliable on both flank, has contributed two assists whereas displaying her expertise in possession, boasting a passing accuracy of 90.2 per cent.
Her final-third cross ratio – she’s accomplished 140 – is the third-best of any defender within the league, and it is that willingness to spring ahead and be a part of assaults that makes Man Metropolis so harmful from vast positions.
Metropolis’s emphasis on ball retention can also be a giant motive why Casparij is flourishing. As a crew, they’re averaging near 70 per cent of possession this season, the very best share of any crew within the league’s historical past. However it’s not all enjoyable and fanciful.
To problem for the WSL title in 2024-25 Man Metropolis should shut a considerable six-point hole to leaders Chelsea, and did not capitalise on their slip in opposition to Leicester this weekend by dropping disappointingly to Everton for the primary time in 17 conferences.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Highlights of the Ladies’s Tremendous League match between Everton and Manchester Metropolis
“Chelsea are an incredibly strong team and unfortunately we haven’t made use of them dropping points, which is frustrating,” Casparij says. “But football is like that, they will drop points and we will too. The big things for us is not to get distracted by them, we have to focus on ourselves.”
Closing out the calendar yr positively is now the chief purpose. Man Metropolis journey to Barcelona within the Champions League on Wednesday, hoping to cap 2024 with one other memorable win over their Catalonian counterparts, so as to add to the assertion 2-0 scalp they delivered within the reverse fixture in early October.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Highlights of the Ladies’s Tremendous League match between Leicester Metropolis and Chelsea
“We’re confident, feeling good. It’s great to travel to Barcelona and it’s an incredible fixture to finish the calendar year on. Hopefully it will be a bit warmer than here, I can’t wait for a bit of vitamin D. It’s been a busy schedule, but we want to play in Europe and go deep in every competition.”
Away from soccer, Casparij’s Christmas plans are a little bit completely different this yr as she celebrates lately shopping for a property by inviting her household to benefit from the vacation interval within the UK for the primary time. Apart from early morning coaching periods – that are non-negotiable over the winter hiatus – what else does the winter break supply Man Metropolis’s marauding full-back?
The complete-back scored in Man Metropolis’s current 2-0 win over St Polten within the Champions League
“I’m looking forward to having my family time. We have a generous amount of time off, the club are good at recognising when we need a break, but obviously we can’t sit still. I get up early to train.
“I am staying in Manchester this yr, and my household are coming right here, so I will be displaying them round and cooking Christmas dinner. We purchased a property and have sufficient room to host so we have invited everybody. I cook dinner and my accomplice is the baker, so between us we will cowl each side of a Christmas dinner.”
Casparij’s development, rewarded with a contract till summer season 2027, is a chief instance of Man Metropolis’s course. They’ve been within the constructing section for quite a few seasons and now could be the time for a few of that regeneration to return to fruition.
Understanding how they catch Chelsea within the ultimate dash between January and Might have to be considered as the largest precedence of all.
