Last summer, Arsenal Women signed Laia Codina from Spanish giant Barcelona, which was viewed as a significant coup.
The Gunners needed to replace Rafaelle Souza, who left at the end of last season, and find someone to step in for Leah Williamson, who had an ACL injury that would keep her out for some time.
Amanda Ilestedt and Laia Codina were the two defensive signees. Over the last few months, Ilestedt has proven herself worthy of a spot in the starting XI.
Codina, on the other hand, had a difficult start to life at the Emirates. Even after playing a key role in Spain’s World Cup victory, she did not immediately hit the ground running; injuries held her back. And by the time she was ready to play, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Ilestedt had created a strong defensive pairing.
However, in recent weeks, Codina’s stars have aligned, and she has begun to stake a claim on this Arsenal women’s team. Except for the 4-0 league Continental Cup semi-finals triumph over Aston Villa, the ex-Barcelona star had started the last five games, putting in decent performances and standing out with her on-point passing. Most people expect her to play an important part in the title chase and as our Arsenal women defend the Continental Cup.
So what is the secret to the Spaniards’ resurgence? She claims she has been thoroughly briefed on what it is like to be a Gunner, and she now understands. That, combined with the fact that she finds familiarity at the club and has good vibes, has helped her adjust to what it takes to flourish as a Gunner. In an interview in the ‘tweet’ below, she stated:
“Arsenal already feels like a familiar club to me and I can feel a special energy in this place. People who have been here for years have explained what it’s like as a club and now I understand it.”
Next up for our Gunners, they face Chelsea on Friday at Stamford Bridge, in a pivotal WSL title race clash. Will we see Codina lineup against Chelsea?
