Catarina Macario, here on February 18 with the American selection against Canada.

-

Alex Menendez / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

  • In the fight with PSG for the title in D1, and in search of a sixth Champions League in a row, OL tried to strengthen significantly this winter.

  • Jean-Michel Aulas in January described the arrival of Catarina Macario (21) as "the most significant operation in the history of women's OL".

  • This is to say if the American neo-international, who will face Brondby on Wednesday (13:55) in the round of 16 second leg of the Champions League, is expected very high.

“The moment you receive the ball, there are no more rules.

This world becomes yours, the choice you will make is yours.

No, this poetic vision of football is not signed Marcelo Bielsa but Catarina Macario.

Like this excerpt from an interview with

L'Equipe

magazine last month

, OL's winter rookie could bring a breath of fresh air to the seven-time European champions.

A birth on the Brazilian island of Sao Luis, a move to San Diego (United States) at age 12 in order to make her dream of becoming a professional footballer more accessible, then an arrival in the American world champion selection in January, a first for a naturalized player… At 21, “Cat” has already lived a lot of lives, and the new Lyon chapter promises to be exciting.

Whether in D1 against Montpellier (2-1) or in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League last Thursday against Brondby (2-0, second leg Wednesday at 1:55 p.m.), his first steps within OL were hesitant.

But the young attacking midfielder is full of talent, as her Australian teammate Ellie Carpenter assures.

“I didn't really know her before she came to Lyon,” recognizes the former Portland Thorns side.

You quickly feel that she is a great player and I am delighted that we have her with us.

She is undoubtedly one of the future stars of the American selection.

"

Catarina Macario, last Thursday in the knockout stages of the Champions League against Brondby.

- DREGER Ryszard / Sports Press Phot / SIPA

"His creativity and his vision of the game are incomparable"

Because once her naturalization was obtained last October, followed by the authorization given by Fifa on January 13, Catarina Macario wasted no time by chaining three international meetings.

For her first cape with the best selection in the world, in a friendly against Colombia (4-0) on January 19, she replaced a certain Megan Rapinoe at half-time, before scoring her first goal in the following match ( 6-0 against Colombia on January 22).

"Even if she only has three selections [after the USA-Canada in SheBelieves Cup on February 19], she is already a star in my eyes," recalls Meredith Cash, who follows the news of the American selection for the site of Business Insider information.

Her creativity and vision for the game are second to none, and I think everyone has understood that she could be the main talent of this young generation.

"

63 goals and 47 assists in 68 college games!

This journalist discovered Catarina Macario in 2018, finding it "mind-boggling" that a sophomore has already been voted the best college footballer in the country with Stanford, before doing it again the following year.

At this Californian university, the young American-Brazilian player even won the national title in 2017 and 2019. A great success for the one who hit her first balls at the age of 4 in the streets and on the beaches of Sao Luis in Brazil.

Very grateful to her mother, a doctor who stayed in Brasilia to finance her American studies, “Cat” scares the counters in the university championship, with a total of 63 goals and 47 assists in 68 games.

She then did not hesitate to try a daring bet by launching her professional career in France.

Catarina Macario, during her presentation press conference in Lyon, on January 25, alongside Jean-Michel Aulas.

- Philippe DESMAZES / AFP

"She will progress faster in Lyon"

"I was surprised by her choice, because everyone here expected to see her become the first draft

pick

for the American League," said Meredith Cash.

There was so much excitement around his potential impact in NWSL that I hadn't thought of a start in Europe.

I think the Covid-19 crisis played a part in this decision, but she will definitely join the championship one day.

And then we must not forget that Lyon are the best team on the planet.

Ellie Carpenter welcomes this risky bet.

We usually go straight from the university to the NWSL.

There, Catarina decided to go abroad immediately and that is to her credit.

I think her game will progress faster in Lyon than if she had stayed in the United States.

"

In Lyon, she can also count on the presence of Juninho, one of her inspirations, especially since she scored some sacred free kicks during her seasons at Stanford.

Always quick to sign daring transfers for his women's section, as he proved with the Norwegian Ada Hegerberg (19 years old when she arrived in 2014) but also with the American stars Megan Rapinoe (2013) and Alex Morgan (2016) , Jean-Michel Aulas quickly set the tone for this recruitment.

"Catarina is an icon in the United States"

“This is probably the most significant operation in the history of women's OL,” proclaimed the Lyon boss in mid-January.

Catarina is an icon in the United States and she will bring us a lot.

“Her delicate debut in Lyon is a reminder that the player under contract until 2023, however mature she may be, cannot become a leader of this OL in a few weeks.

“Given the wealth of the Lyon workforce, it will be difficult for them to break through,” confirms Meredith Cash.

But she's become one of the national team's greatest assets in just a few short months, and I think she has the talent to be a star in any team on the planet.

"

The talent but also undoubtedly the personality.

Asked for the OL site to indicate what could make her angry in everyday life, she spontaneously replied "PSG".

We can not wait to discover a "Cat" upset for her first shock in D1 on Saturday (9 pm) against the Parisian rival.

Trust the process

.

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