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Matilda Carpenter out to conquer Europe

Matildas defender Ellie Carpenter is out to conquer Europe as her Lyon team attempts to dethrone Barcelona in Saturday's Women's Champions League final.

ELLIE CARPENTER.
ELLIE CARPENTER. Picture: Mike Owen/Getty Images.

Ellie Carpenter already owns a Women's Champions League winner's medal but the Matildas defender says Lyon's clash with all-conquering Barcelona feels like a first in her career.

Carpenter was a new arrival in France when Lyon beat Germany's Wolfsburg 3-1 in the 2020 decider to claim a fifth-straight Champions League crown.

The 22-year-old didn't get on the field in that match but in the two years since has become a vital part of the Lyon team, meaning she'll almost certainly feature at Italy's Juventus Stadium against the Spanish powerhouse on Saturday (0300 Sunday AEST).

"It's definitely a different feel to the last Champions League final," Carpenter told AAP.

"Obviously I'd just arrived at the club last time and was just lucky enough to be part of that Champions League campaign.

"It's very exciting.

"We've worked the whole Champions League season to get to this point. It was one of our goals, an objective, of the team and myself."

Standing in Lyon and Carpenter's way is an intimidating opponent.

Barcelona confirmed their status as the new queens of European football with a convincing 4-0 victory over Sam Kerr's Chelsea in last year's final.

Since then a team led by Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas has dominated the Spanish league, winning 30 of 30 matches and scoring 159 goals to claim the title by an astounding 24 points.

Carpenter though is quick to point out she's playing for a team that has won a record seven Champions League titles and features players such as towering defender Wendie Renard and Norwegian forward Ada Hegerberg who were key to their record-breaking run of European success.

"We've experienced so many Champions League finals, we have so many experienced players in our team and we have versed Barcelona recently, in pre-season last year, and also in the Champions League final three years ago," Carpenter said.

"We came out on top both those times but obviously they are a different team now.

"It will be a great challenge. They're a great team.

"Two world-class teams going up against each other so it'll be a great match."

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