I don’t take it for granted’ – Arsenal star Frida Maanum insists she has taken the positives from terrifying Conti Cup final collapse amid fine form

On March 31, the Norway international went down off the ball late in the game – which Arsenal went on to win 3-1 – and underwent tests, which revealed that there were no “obvious cardiac causes” behind her collapse.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Maanum is back on the field for Arsenal and off to a great start this season. After netting the decisive goal in a Champions League tie against Rosenborg, she netted an early opener for the Gunners as they started their Women’s Super League campaign with a 2-2 draw against Manchester City.

  • WHAT MAANUM SAID

    The 25-year-old says her perspective has changed since her collapse earlier this year as she took the summer break to reflect.

    “Every time I step on the pitch, if it’s a training session or if it’s a game, I don’t take it for granted, because obviously it was hard to go through that time,” she told The Guardian. “It was important for me to get time off in the summer to reflect over what happened, but I feel even stronger going into the season after the last season and what happened in the final.

    “It’s something I obviously wouldn’t want to happen but, at the same time, I’ve got a lot of positive things out of it, in terms of taking every opportunity, every training session, every game as it is, because I know not everyone has the opportunity to do what I’m doing after having had that happen.”

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    WHAT NEXT FOR MAANUM?

    Arsenal are in action again on Thursday when they take on BK Hacken in the second-leg of their Champions League qualifying tie, and Maanum will hope to maintain her good form. The English team are 1-0 down from the first leg.