Mariona reveals she chatted with Ona before her Arsenal move

Mariona Caldentey and Ona Batlle are once again teammates, this time at Arsenal, and they’ve opened up about how the move from Barcelona to London came together. As Mundo Deportivo reports, the two players sat down together on Friday for a joint Sky Sports interview to explain the story behind Batlle’s arrival, which happened last July.

Messages before the decision

Asked whether she told Ona anything that helped convince her, Mariona said there were chats involved. “To be honest, we had some chats. But I always thought it’s a very important and personal decision,” she explained. In that same vein, she clarified that what she shared was mainly her own experience in North London: “I told her what it was like for me here.” Still, she admitted she was hoping Ona would eventually say yes.

Pride and Ballon d’Or talk

Batlle then returned the praise, saying she’s happy to see Mariona among the Ballon d’Or contenders. “I’m very happy for her because she deserves it. And when someone deserves it, it makes me happy. I know what she’s like and how she works,” she said. Mariona responded by describing it as a source of pride: “It’s a point of pride to be on that list.”

Not focused on winning it

The conversation also reflected on mindset. Mariona stressed the value of the moment, suggesting it may not come again. “You appreciate that moment because it could be the last one.” And when asked about actually winning, she was clear: “It’s true that last year I was close, but I don’t think about it, no.”

Source: Mundo Deportivo.