Kerstin Casparij: Manchester Metropolis full-back indicators new deal and discusses Chelsea chase and Christmas plans | Soccer information

Kerstin Casparij is trying ahead to a quiet and comfy Christmas in Manchester this 12 months, after lastly with the ability to elevate the lid on her new and improved contract with Manchester Metropolis.

“It took some time to reach, however it’s a pleasant early Christmas current,” she says Aerial sports activitiesof Joie Stadium, which she fortunately calls “dwelling”.

Casparij arrived from her native Netherlands in 2022, signed from Twente, in response to Lucy Bronze’s departure for Barcelona that very same summer season. Then aged 22, the defender took time to heat as much as life within the north west and the distinctive, fast-paced soccer of Man Metropolis, however is now thriving in her settled surroundings.

“I’ve actually settled into Manchester and I’m having a good time,” she continues. “I am not an enormous metropolis lady, and Manchester does not really feel like an enormous metropolis, it is cozy. The persons are extremely good, which I hear is a northern factor.

“I am having fun with my time on the membership. The values ​​of the membership actually resonate with me and who I’m as an individual, but additionally football-wise, I grew up a lot right here.”

Casparij has performed each minute of Man Metropolis’s Ladies’s Tremendous League marketing campaign this season, as Gareth Taylor’s facet beat Chelsea six factors clear within the desk. The total-back, dependable on each flanks, contributed two assists whereas demonstrating his expertise in possession, with a passing accuracy of 90.2 p.c.

Her passing ratio within the remaining third – she accomplished 140 – is the third better of all defenders within the league, and it’s this willingness to pounce and be a part of assaults that makes Man Metropolis so harmful from large positions.

Metropolis’s emphasis on ball retention can be a key motive why Casparij is prospering. As a workforce, they’re averaging practically 70 p.c possession this season, the best share of any workforce in league historical past. Nevertheless it’s not all enjoyable and fantasy.

To problem for the WSL title in 2024-25, Man Metropolis should shut a considerable six-point hole with leaders Chelsea, and did not capitalize on their hole in opposition to Leicester this weekend in losing disappointingly to Everton for the primary time in 17 conferences.

“Chelsea are an extremely robust workforce and sadly we did not reap the benefits of their drop factors, which is irritating,” says Casparij. “However soccer is like that, they are going to lose factors and so will we. Crucial factor for us is to not get distracted by them, now we have to deal with ourselves.”

Closing the calendar 12 months positively is now the primary goal. Man Metropolis journey to Barcelona within the Champions League on Wednesday, hoping to finish 2024 with one other memorable victory in opposition to their Catalan counterparts, so as to add to the 2-0 assertion they delivered within the reverse fixture in early October.

“We’re assured, we really feel good. It is nice to journey to Barcelona and it is an unimaginable appointment to finish the calendar 12 months. I hope will probably be slightly hotter than right here, I “I am trying ahead to getting some vitamin D. We have had a busy schedule, however we need to play in Europe and compete in all of the competitions.”

Exterior of soccer, Casparij’s Christmas plans are slightly totally different this 12 months as she celebrates her latest property buy by inviting her household to benefit from the vacation interval within the UK for the primary time. Aside from early morning coaching classes – that are non-negotiable in the course of the winter break – what else does the winter break supply Man Metropolis’s marauding full-back?

“I am trying ahead to spending time with household. Now we have loads of free time, the membership is aware of once we want a break, however clearly we will not sit nonetheless. I stand up early to coach.

“I am staying in Manchester this 12 months and my household are coming right here, so I’ll present them round and prepare dinner Christmas dinner. We have purchased a property and have sufficient area to host, so we have invited everybody. I prepare dinner and my companion is the baker, so between us we will sort out all facets of a Christmas dinner.

Casparij’s development, rewarded with a contract till the summer season of 2027, is a good instance of the place Man Metropolis is heading. They’ve been within the development part for a number of seasons and now it’s time for a few of this regeneration to come back to fruition.

Determining how they are going to catch Chelsea within the remaining dash between January and Might should be thought of the most important precedence of all.