Arsenal goalkeeper Manu Zinsberger spoke to the press after Sunday’s Conti Cup Final victory over Chelsea, with thanks to Sophie Lawson for the recording (and most of the questions!)
Manu Zinsberger couldn’t hide her delight after winning a first trophy with Arsenal since she arrived at the club in the summer of 2019.
The Austrian joined just after the Gunners won the WSL and Zinsberger says she has waited a long time to taste success.
“It feels amazing, we worked so hard. It’s my fourth season and I have been waiting for a moment like that and now it’s us lifting the trophy. I am proud, I am happy and a little bit exhausted. But my emotions are up high.”
Arsenal recovered from an early Sam Kerr goal and were 3-1 ahead by half-time. In the second half, they managed the game well and didn’t allow Chelsea back into the game, restricting them to long shots which Zinsberger was equal to.
“You need to switch on the whole game, especially against Chelsea because you never know what will happen. I am actually not that satisfied with my own performance, I could have been better. But we got the result, we got the trophy and that’s what matters the most.
“You can’t give Chelsea chances, it is important to stay on top and you know if Chelsea had scored a second goal it would have given them another push for an equaliser.
“There was no doubt in my mind today that we would win, even when we conceded I knew ‘that can’t be the truth, it can’t be the truth that we are not lifting the trophy.’ We stayed calm, we stuck to our plan.”
Solid save from @Manu_Zinsberger 🙌#ContiCup @ArsenalWFC pic.twitter.com/O61DX6k9Td
— Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) March 5, 2023
However, the Gunners ‘keeper does not believe that breaking the silverware hoodoo will alter her outlook.
“We are always trying to win trophies, that’s how we start the season, how we come into pre-season. I am always aiming for a trophy no matter what. I don’t need a trophy to start us off, I need the team we have. We want to win every trophy.
“We need to win against everyone, whether it’s Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United or anyone else. Every point counts at the end. We need to do our job right and that trophy gives us a push.
“Now we go to the next game on Wednesday and try to have another big performance and result, we expect that of ourselves.”
Happy for her
Great attitude. Congratulations on your Conti Cup winners medal!
I hope that this win will be a springboard which propels us to the pinnacle as we were before.