CLARE SHINE, the Glasgow City forward, believes England's newly-crowned champions Chelsea are in for a shock when they face Glasgow City tomorrow night.
The pair will meet in Staines for their Champions League last 32 first leg tie on the back of a significant weekend for both clubs. On Sunday the London club became Super League 1 champions for the first time in their history with a victory over Sunderland, clinching them a domestic double thanks to their FA Cup win in August. At the same time in Edinburgh, their Scottish counterparts were rampaging closer to their ninth consecutive league championship with a 2-0 win against Hibernian, taking their lead over the Easter Road side to six points with two games remaining.
Despite City’s dominance and the fact they made it all the way to the quarter-finals of Europe’s premier competition last year, Shine is of the mind Chelsea may well not fully appreciate just how experienced their part-time opponents are. It is a potential chink in the professional side’s armour the 20-year-old is seeking to exploit.
“I think because of how well England did in the World Cup it has raised the profile of the game down south. Chelsea have top, top players,” said Shine. “They are professional footballers who are training every day and night. It’s just a massive difference given the money pumped into English football.
“It is not beyond us, though. It’s a huge task and I think we are going to well up for it. They are going to know they were in a game, that’s for sure. They will probably underestimate us. They will be on their high horse because they are the English champions and we are a team from Scotland.
“Having said that, they may be aware of the class we have and that our team is filled with internationalists. If they aren’t already they soon will be.”
City are clearly in a bullish mood, and they have every right to be. Yes, they may be the club on a shoestring budget up against a full-time outfit under the wing of one of Europe’s biggest footballing institutions, but their reputation and, more importantly, winning habit is something is institutionalised in each and every one of their squad.
This season has seen them face their toughest test in the domestic front in the form of Hibs, but even that obstacle was overcome with relative ease on Sunday.
“I think we are very confident going into the Chelsea game because of our performance at the weekend,” said Shine. “Everyone was really positive after the game. To get a 2-0 win over Hibs really was an excellent result.
“We have drawn with them before this season but I think we were more prepared this time and we were all really up for it on the day. We were kind of preparing for the Chelsea game too and that helped stand us in good stead.
“Tomorrow is probably one of the biggest games of our season because now they have won the English league it’s a massive task. Everyone is looking forward to it.
“To get a result down there would be excellent and that is what we are going for.”
Shine joined Glasgow back in May from Raheny United and has enjoyed a fruitful spell so far that has seen City win every game since her arrival. Having represented Republic of Ireland at various levels, the striker is no stranger to high-pressure matches or the big occasion.
However, she concedes tomorrow night’s Champions League is a completely different prospect.
“It’ll probably be one of the biggest games I’ve ever played at club level,” she said.
“To play against Chelsea with the qualities they have. It’ll be weird having watched them in the World Cup and now coming up against them.
“We are going down to get a result. That is the most important thing. We are well prepared.”
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