Manchester City interview with Laura Wienroither after her arrival on loan from Arsenal
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00:00Well, Laura, welcome to City. Sum up your emotions after signing for the club.
00:05Yeah, thank you. I'm really, really happy to be here. I'm just relieved that everything is done
00:11now. I'm grateful for the opportunity to just work with people that trust in me, that believe
00:18in me, and I just hope that I can give the trust back. I'm really excited to get started and I can't
00:25wait to meet the team. And what were the sort of contributing factors as to why you wanted to join
00:32Manchester City? Yeah, I mean, I think when you have the chance to sign for a big club,
00:38big club as Man City is, I don't think you have to think a lot about it. At least I didn't.
00:44I spoke a lot to Therese. Yeah, I really like her as a human being, I think.
00:50Yeah, she gave me the opportunity to come here and she believes in me, she trusts in me,
00:55and I think that was the factors that really made me want to sign for City.
01:01You mentioned the conversations with Therese there. What were they like? You said you wanted
01:06someone or a club to trust and believe in you. Was that sort of the message from her?
01:11Yeah, obviously also where I'm coming from. I do really appreciate that, yeah, people just
01:17trusting in me and believing in me that I can contribute to the team, that I can bring some
01:23quality to the team. I just hope that I can be good for the team. I just try to be the best
01:32teammate possible for them every single day and hope I can also have some good performances on
01:38the pitch. And obviously you're coming in on deadline day. How has the month of January
01:44been for you? I can imagine it was quite a busy last few days. What's it been like for you?
01:49Yeah, to be honest, it has been really stressful. I didn't have much time left,
01:57to be honest. That's why I'm even more happy to be here now. I think I'm genuinely really
02:06grateful to get the opportunity to play for City. It's such a big club. I've always had
02:12a soft spot for Man City. So yeah, I'm really excited to be here. And of course, you're joining
02:18on loan from Arsenal, but you've been playing in England and the WSL since 2022. How important was
02:25it for you to stay in this league, in this country for the rest of this season? Yeah, I really liked
02:32England since the day I came. I've always felt very welcome. I really like the English mentality
02:38and obviously the WSL is probably no doubt the best league in Europe at the moment. So
02:45yeah, it was definitely a priority for me to stay in England and stay in a big club,
02:52play against the best teams. So yeah, I'm happy that it worked out in the end.
02:57And during your time at Arsenal, you unfortunately suffered an ACL injury. Just first of all on that,
03:04what did you have to learn? What were the challenges that you sort of overcame through
03:07that period? Obviously, you never really want to have a big injury in football. I guess that's
03:14every player's worst nightmare really. But I do think that I've had a lot of positive moments
03:20throughout my rehab. I just tried to create a support network around me. Obviously, I'm away
03:27from home, so I don't really have, or I don't have any family here at all. So yeah, I just made the
03:33people around me my family. And yeah, I think it has been a special journey for me. And I think,
03:41maybe that sounds a bit controversial, but I think I will always be grateful for this journey because
03:46it did bring a lot of positives for me as a footballer, but even more as a person, I think.
03:51It's interesting you mentioned the support network there because current City player
03:56Viv Miedema was also rehabilitating at the same time. What was your relationship like with her
04:01then and sort of how excited are you to be a teammate with her once again? Yeah, obviously,
04:07I've stayed with Viv for a bit after my surgery. She took me under her wings and she took care of
04:14me when I needed help really. So yeah, we created a really, really good relationship. I think
04:21she always knew that she can count on me and I always knew that I can count on her. And
04:26that hasn't changed since she left. So yeah, I'm grateful that we can play together again.
04:32I mean, she's an unbelievable player. I think you all know that and she's a great person. So
04:38I can't wait to be with her again. And during your career up to this point for Hoffenheim and
04:44for Arsenal, you'd played in the Champions League, made a number of appearances in that, obviously
04:49with City in the quarterfinal coming up in March. How important is it for you to continue playing in
04:55that competition? How much do you like playing in the Champions League? Yeah, I think Champions
05:00League is the most competitive competition in Europe. It's just special, I think, having European
05:09nights, Champions League nights and competing against the best teams and then obviously
05:14also going to knockout games. I think these are the games you play for as a footballer really. So
05:20yeah, I hope maybe we can draw Arsenal and play against them twice again. So yeah,
05:26no, I think Champions League, it is just special and it will always be. And talking about your
05:31move here to City, what are your ambitions from now until the end of the season? Yeah, I just
05:38really, like I said before, want to be a good teammate every single day. I just want to
05:44try to the best of my ability to bring the best quality on the pitch.
05:50Whatever role I have to play, I will do that with the best ability possible. And
05:56yeah, I can't wait to play with all the girls because I think there is a lot of quality in
06:02the squad. And yeah, I hope I can contribute something with my strength as well to the squad.
06:07So going back to joining City and competing in four competitions, you've won titles in Austria
06:15and in England. Are you hungry for more titles here at City before the end of the season?
06:20Yeah, I think I just want to play as many games as possible, just enjoy every single game and
06:28just hopefully stay in every competition as long as we can.
06:31And what type of player would you describe yourself as,
06:34sort of fitting into this City squad going forward?
06:38I think I'm a very selfless player. I don't really want to be the middle of the attention,
06:45so it's OK if everyone else has their attention. I just work around everyone else's strength,
06:50and I think that's what I'm just trying to do as well now when I'm here. And yeah, I think I
06:57really like the way how City plays football, and I think it does fit me or my style of playing as
07:04well. So I think it could be a good match. And during your time at Arsenal, you also won
07:09the Conti Cup. What experience can you help with our squad going for titles and trophies
07:16before the end of the season? Yeah, I think we've had times at Arsenal where we,
07:23towards the end of the season, obviously we struggle with injuries sometimes, and
07:27I think we all understood that we have to step up for each other. And I think that's
07:34one of the best experiences I had at Arsenal, a really tight group, that everyone is there
07:42for each other. When someone has to step up for someone else, we always did it, no doubt.
07:47And just trying to lift each other up, especially towards the end of the season when there is a lot
07:53of games, knockout games. I don't know, maybe people get tired, international break, so I feel
07:59like there is a lot coming together towards the end of the season. So yeah, just keeping the
08:04momentum as high as possible and as good as possible. And I think when you have a good
08:12mood within the squad, that always helps performing on the pitch as well.
08:16And just finally, after you've signed for City, what is your first message for the fans?
08:21Yeah, that I'm really, really excited to be here. I'm so happy to have the opportunity to be here.
08:27And like I said, I've been given an opportunity and I really want to pay the trust back I got.
08:34And I will play to my best ability possible to just help the team as much as I can.
08:40Laura, thank you for your time and welcome to City.
08:42Thank you so much.