From Uppsala to Montpellier via Tyreso, Sweden's Linda Sembrant, has come a long way since her debut on Football pitches. Experienced and talented, the defender is preparing this season to live the Champions League, a competition in which she has already taken part, but it will be his first with Montpellier. Interview.


How do you feel at a week of the season? What can you tell us about the match you played against Manchester City? (won 4-2)
I feel very good, it's a good week ahead. [Here in Toulouse] we can go out with the team, play these games (against Manchester and Liverpool at TILC). It is important before starting the season, to have this kind of confrontations.

It's a good game, it's a good team [Manchester]. I think it's good for us to play against an opponent we do not know. We do not know exactly their qualities. It's a different type of game. It's an experience for us, which can be very important [in the league].


I noticed that just before the Euro with your national team, when you scored the goal against Mexico, you were the most involved in the win. After the Olympics, was it difficult to get back into a big competition?
It was hard after. I was very disappointed, there were a lot of different feelings. It was a tournament [the Olympic Games] that people really expected [a result from us]. You participate in a tournament with so much hope, presentiments that you can do something big, so it was hard right after, but that's the way it is football. I had a few holidays and I just reloaded the body and head. I feel good to resume the season with Montpellier.


How do you explain this Euro, which can be said to be frustrating for you with the defeat against Italy in particular? Are you waiting for a renewal in the team?
Of course, when you look at it in hindsight, it's frustrating. But we had Holland in the quarter-finals. Holland has had a very good tournament. I think it's the team that earned this title, I'm glad they won because it's not us. They played very well. It's difficult and frustrating when you do not achieve the goals you set, [as it was the case at the Olympic Games, with the lost final against Germany].
It will be interesting now, we have a new coach. We will see how it will work and everything. It's going to be really exciting. We have a camp [with the Swedish team] very soon and we must first train the new team in a few days. It's going to be exciting.


Last season, after your defeat against Paris, I had already interviewed you and I saw that the return match would be in your favor and that was the case. That's what allows you today to play the Champions League.
I think it's a part of that, this match certainly played. It was a very important meeting. I am proud and happy that we had this victory [against Paris]. It was a battle between us and Paris for second place. We continued to work all the way and in the end we took their place and we are happy with that. For the club and the team, everyone worked hard for that. It was very good and important for us.


You are one of the most experienced in this European competition with Tyreso, you will be a real engine this season for your team?
We have a very interesting team, we have some players who have experience in this kind of tournament. So, I am going to bring this, my experience, what I have done before and I hope we can go far in this competition. We will play and do our best in the Champions League.


How do you expect it to be this season, are you going to pick the three titles, or is there a priority on the road map?
You always want to do well, you always want to win every game, to be there to challenge teams, win big things, titles. For us, we have a fairly young team that is starting to have experience. Of course, we want to go far in the three different categories.


You have the impression that you are a player who does not ask too many questions, it is one of your strength, with the vision of play, percussion too. Does that describe you well? How do you characterize your game?
When I play, I'm really in the game. I'm really in the game to do my best, to make a good performance, to help the team and to take victories with my teammates. I know when I'm on the pitch, when I play, I'm right there and I appreciate the moment. It's a special feeling al to play football and you are just in a different state of mind. Yes I like that. Oh, I think that's one of my strengths [not to ask myself questions]. It's also important for the [defenseman] position, to help the players around you. When you play, you must be pretty calm too. In a good way, not always, but as you can count on the players in this position. I am a player who speaks a lot, who wants to be there, in action. I like to take up the challenge in attack, to make sure that the ball is good for my teammates in front of me, to be part of it. Also defensively, I am a player who reads the game, and I have a good game of head also. I like to project myself at the same time in attack and to assure my defense. How do you feel your team today of Montpellier? There are some new players like Katrine Veje, did you discuss with her? How did you find it? I feel very good, I'm happy to see what we can do this season. I am delighted to see the various competitions that await us, from the championship to the Champions League, I can not wait to be there. I think we have a very good team. When we play really well, we are really good. That's, it's a challenge to be up all the time, match after match, to make those performances, play really well. I'm very happy to see what we can do.Yeah, she [Katrine Veje] speaks Swedish, so that's good (laugh). She's a player I saw playing, she also played in Sweden. I did not play with it, just against it. She is an interesting player. So, it will be interesting to see what she can give on the field. Yes, she is a technical player, with a good left foot. She makes things happen on her wing, on her side. It's hard to know what she's going to do on the field, it'll be fun to watch her evolve with the team this season.