Ahead of the Women’s Champions League knockouts, GiveMeSport Women sat down with England and Manchester City striker Ellen White to get the inside track going into City’s match against Fiorentina.

Manchester City's attention turns to their next European hurdle tomorrow, as they prepare to host Fiorentina at the Academy Stadium in Wednesday's Champions League clash.

The Citizens will go into the home fixture off the back of an emphatic 4-0 win over Birmingham in the Women's Super League. They are unbeaten in 11 league matches, which stands them in very good stead as they attempt to leave their mark on the first leg of their Round of 16 challenge.

Star striker and England international Ellen White spoke to GiveMeSport Women about City's chances of progressing past Fiorentina to make the quarter-finals.

"It’ll be a tough test. For us, it’s just about staying really professional and really working on the stuff we’ve done in training," she admitted. "The Champions League is a very special kind of competition, so for us, we need to be on top of our game.

"Everyone’s really excited. Obviously the Champions League is such an amazing competition and one of the reasons why I was so excited to come to City was to be involved in Champions League nights."

An in-form striker

Since joining Man City in 2019, White has broken the record for most goals scored in the WSL with 55. She is currently tied with Arsenal's Vivianne Miedema, who also holds the record for most goals scored in a single league season with 22.

"It’s a great battle between us both," White said on the competition between her and the Netherlands striker. "She’s a phenomenal player and I just want to concentrate on what I can control and that’s obviously playing for City and contributing in any way I can. Whether that’s goals, assists or just working hard on the pitch for my team."

Ellen White and Janine Beckie

White is City's leading scorer for the 2020/21 season with eight goals and four assists to her name so far. She also enjoyed a dream return to international football with a hat-trick against Northern Ireland at St George's Park last week.

"An unbelievable squad"

"It’s a very difficult competition," White said of the Champions League. "You’re playing teams that are the best in their leagues in their country – it’s the best of the best really.

"We’ve got an unbelievable squad here at City and on our day, we can potentially beat anyone. But we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, we’ve got a big game against them at home and then also playing them away so that’s our main focus."

The Sky Blues are readying up for Fiorentina off the back of a more than convincing 5-1 aggregate win over Göteborg. Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp and Sam Mewis were on song in the double clash against the Swedish side and White didn't hesitate to wax lyrical about her teammates.

Everyone’s been able to see what she’s all about.

Speaking about new teammate and USWNT star Mewis, the Lioness said: "She’s extremely talented, technically gifted, brilliant in the air, capable of box-to-box. She’s a massive talent for our team and she’s fit in really well and she gives us something different in midfield.”

Mewis made her return from injury at the weekend and stamped her authority immediately with a brace against Birmingham. She will be in contention to start against Fiorentina on Wednesday when City welcome the Italians to Manchester for the 4:45pm kick off.