Alex Greenwood on Manchester City's return to Women's Champions League ahead of Barcelona clash - 'It's where we belong'

Manchester City captain Alex Greenwood has said the club is "back where we belong" ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Women's Champions League clash against titans Barcelona.

City welcome the holders to the Joie Stadium on Wednesday night, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

After failing to qualify for the Champions League in the past two seasons, the club are making their return to the competition following an 8-0 aggregate thrashing of Paris FC in qualification.

But they face a stern opening test in the group stage, hosting the defending champions, who knocked them out in the quarter-finals in 2020-21.

Speaking exclusively to TNT Sports, Greenwood said it had been "frustrating" sitting on the sidelines of European competition but that the club was now "exactly where we're meant to be."

Fresh from a 2-0 win over West Ham at the weekend and on a five-game unbeaten run in all competitions, City are top of the WSL table and looking to carry that form into Europe.

"I'm excited," Greenwood said, speaking on Monday after a recovery session from their latest WSL outing.

"Obviously we've had a good game yesterday, which we'll take a lot of positives from into Wednesday. We're fully aware of the team we're coming up against, and I think everyone inside the building and the team are really looking forward to Wednesday night."

She added that the confidence the players could take from the 2-0 victory was "massive".

"Winning any way breeds confidence. We've been really good in our games so far and in the Champions League as well, home and away we were really good, in and out of possession.

"There's a lot of things we're still working on and still want to get better and that's standard, we'll still say that in March, April come the latter stages of the season, but for us it's exciting and it's positive so far.

"Of course the last couple of seasons have been a little bit frustrating to go home on a Wednesday and Thursday and watch these teams playing Champions League, it's something myself personally, and this club and this group of players want to be a part of. I think it's exactly where we're meant to be. It's where we belong, this football club belongs there and this group of players definitely belong in this competition."

As well as Barcelona, who are also unbeaten domestically so far this season, City will face St Polten and Swedish side Hammarby in Group D. The title holders are on paper the toughest opposition but Greenwood insisted they would treat each game the same and felt "positive" about their chances of making it further into the competition.

"I don't think the pressure [facing Barcelona] comes from within, I think it's external. We're very much the same in how we approach the game, how we get ready and prepare, we don't invite that pressure upon ourselves. We're fully aware of the magnitude of the game and of the opposition but we'll prepare and do everything the same as we always do.

"In the Champions League, whether we start off with the toughest test or not, you have to respect your opponent and the competition that you're playing in and we do that with anyone we come up against, whether that be Champions League, WSL, Conti Cup and so on. Coming up against Barcelona is probably the toughest in the group but we respect every opponent we come up against."

City beat Barcelona 2-1 in their last encounter at the Joie Stadium - the second leg of their quarter-final tie in 2020-21 - and Greenwood is confident having the home advantage will play a role on Wednesday night.

"I'm hearing it's sold out as well, which is fantastic," she said. "There's nothing like a game at the Joie Stadium for us. We love playing there and I know it can be a difficult place for other teams to come, especially with our fans, it being sold out, the occasion itself, I think it's going to be a great night.

City's return to the elite level of European competition has been bolstered by a mix of new and old signings. Greenwood hailed marquee summer signing Vivianne Miedema, the WSL's record goalscorer who joined from Arsenal, saying she brings "massive experience [and] presence" to the squad.

"She's settled in really well, she's been great so far," Greenwood added. "She's had a tough couple of seasons [with injuries] and I think for myself personally and a lot of people here, [the key is] not to put on a lot of pressure.

"I know her name itself and what she's done in the past brings that pressure but we're not going to do that to her. We know the player she is and what she's capable of doing, and we've already seen glimpses of that anyway, so for us it's great to have a player of that quality here and getting the best out of her is what we need to do."

City's ranks have also been strengthened by the return of Miedema's fellow Dutch international Jill Roord, who made her first appearance since January in late September after a long spell out of action with an ACL injury.

"It's like a new signing for us, having Jill back. Before she got injured she was absolutely brilliant, she settled in so well, so quickly, like she'd always been here. During her rehab her focus and her determination to get back was second to none, and it's no surprise that she's come back in the condition that she has, she's absolutely grafted for the last eight months.

"Again, patience with Jill, you can't expect everything to come all at once, but just seeing her back on the pitch, she looks like she's never been away."

The group stage clash will also see Greenwood up against former Manchester City and current England team-mate Kiera Walsh, who set the record at the time of her transfer to Barcelona in 2022 for the most expensive signing in women's football .

"Kiera's for me still one of the best midfielders in the world," Greenwood said. "I admire her, she's one of my really good friends as well - until Wednesday! [From] Leila [Ouahabi], Laia [Aleixandri], we have insights on her Spanish team-mates, I know their qualities, and I think we've played the game long enough to know their individual qualities. There's nothing we're going to say or do differently against Kiera and so on. I think it's just respecting our opponent first and foremost but taking our game to them."

In terms of a gameplan for Wednesday's tie, Greenwood was - understandably - circumspect.

"We've literally just done recovery this morning after the game yesterday, so right now I don't have the answers to give you. The plan of attack will be the same as always, to go and win, of course. But in terms of tactical [plans], I've nothing to tell you right now - and I wouldn't tell you either!"

But she was less circumspect about the club's goals for the season and their return to the Champions League.

"Individual ambitions, club ambitions is to be successful and that's by winning. We want to win, we want to win every competition we play in, but right now the focus is Wednesday and being successful in that game."

Stream Manchester City vs Barcelona in the UEFA Women's Champions League on Wednesday 9 October live on TNT Sports and discovery+.