Martin Odegaard has cherished memories of the Champions League from his childhood, particularly recalling the moments when he watched Cesc Fabregas shine in a match against Barcelona.
In anticipation of the upcoming match against PSV, Odegaard mentioned said, 'I've had limited experience in the Champions League; in fact, I participated in a qualifier for Stromsgodset when I was just 15 years old.'
'That was when I came on as a substitute in a home game against Steaua Bucharest. I was on the bench for the away game, and unfortunately, we were eliminated. However, I don't recall much about those matches – they happened quite a while ago!'
'Right before I joined Arsenal, I had a couple of opportunities to play in the Champions League for Real Madrid.
However, those matches took place during the COVID-19
pandemic, which meant there were no fans in the stadium.'
'I had the chance to play at the San Siro against Inter and
away to Shakhtar, but without anyone in the stands to watch, it didn't quite
capture the same atmosphere. That's why I'm so thrilled about tonight's match.'
'I followed all the matches closely while growing up. I was
given permission to stay up late to watch those games, and I can still vividly
recall that unique sensation of tuning in, listening to the anthem, and
dreaming about one day being part of it.'
'I watched numerous matches, but a couple that have left a
lasting impression are Theo Walcott's incredible run against Liverpool at
Anfield and Cesc Fabregas' exceptional performance against Barcelona at the
Emirates; he was truly outstanding that night.'
Stay tuned as more events unfold!