Ella Toone finally experienced playing in the Champions League for Manchester United during the week when the women’s side drew with Paris Saint-Germain in a qualifying match.
The Lioness already knows that the Champions League is where she wants to be, but Wednesday night’s result means the WSL runners-up need a win in the return game to earn a place in the 16-team group stage.
In turn, that would mean more European nights for Toone and her team-mates.
Toone has been at United since the reformation of the women’s team in 2018. It has been a terrific journey for someone to experience at their childhood club.
“I thought about that journey of the last five years at the game, and again today,” Toone told Mirror Football. “I thought about how far we’ve come as a team. I think there’s only four of us left from that original squad that started out (when Man Utd formed).
“To be part of it right from the very start, we’ve seen what it’s taken to get this club here in such a short space of time. Now we’re stepping out in Champions League games, it really was an unbelievable feeling. It was nice to take it in and be in the moment.
“Stepping out for your childhood club in the Champions League is something I had always dreamed of doing. To finally get there was a really special night. I now can’t wait for more of that. I want to get out in Paris and do it all again.”
Toone added how proud she was of United’s performance against PSG, a side that reached the last eight in the Champions League last season.
“I thought we weathered the storm really well in the first half. On another night we could have been two or three goals down. We had to defend for our lives and stay in the game.
“But in the second half we played really well, got on the ball more and were braver. Taking a 1-1 draw is really good into the next game, we just need to build on the second half performance and start like that in Paris.
“As a player I want to be in it (the Champions League) every year, 100 per cent. I think it is such an amazing tournament to be involved in. When you start out playing as a professional all you ever want is to play against the best. It took me a while to get there, so to finally do it and have a taste of it was really special.
“I want more of it. At Man City I never had that feeling of stepping out playing in Europe, so to finally play in it was hugely special. I’ve worked really hard towards it and to do it for a club that only started out five years ago was special, we’ve come a long way.”
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