"We really want to be national champions"

She started to make a name for herself at Aland United, but her passion for football comes from "home". At 24, Cassandra Korhonen developed almost her entire career in her homeland Sweden, playing for Västeras IK, Västeras BK 30 and Uppsala, before going to Finland. In four months at Benfica (since December), she played eight matches and scored three goals.

When was your passion for football first started?

I have an older brother who had been playing football for a long time. When I was younger, my father was the coach of his team. I ended up always going to the training sessions because my mother was working. So I guess I was born around football. I started playing when I was very young. When you feel you can be good at something, it ends up being what you want to do.

How is the experience of playing at Benfica and living in Portugal?

It has been very good. I like the team and the city of Lisbon. I feel it's a good combination. I can have a good life living here and playing football.

Are you increasingly adapted to the team's way of playing? How have the training sessions been?

Of course, with practice, in training, we get to know our teammates better. It is always complicated to join a new team, and everything takes time, but with each training session it gets easier. We always have new things to learn.

How did your integration go in the workgroup?

I was very well received by everyone, and the integration is going well. The biggest difficulty was communication due to the language, but most of the players in the squad also speak English.

What are the main differences between football in the Nordic countries and in Portugal?

Nordic football is more direct in the search for goal, sometimes faster than here. In Portugal, football is more technical, there is more dribbling. These are the biggest differences. And the players from the Nordic countries are tougher in duels.

How is the group's spirit for the remaining matches?

We know that we have everything in our hands, and all the players want to win every match. We are prepared for the matches that are still to be played. We really want to be national champions.

What message would you like to leave to the Benfiquistas?

We will win the remaining matches and celebrate together the conquest of the Championship.