Captain of the European Tour (Jemma Rose interview)

Bristol Academy defender Jemma Rose talks to Chris Brookes about captaining the last English side in the Champions League into a last-sixteen tie with Barcelona. When she first joined Bristol she never imagined playing in the competition, she says, and the buzz around the Barcelona name has energised the club’s Spanish contingent. She remembers the warmth of the previous round in Ireland, where Raheny United laid on food, music and dancing after a competitive match. Rose describes nerves on joining the senior England squad and having to impress Mark Sampson, her former Bristol manager, all over again, and the hesitation before accepting her first television punditry job. Away from the pitch she has completed a degree in applied sport science and would like to own a gym.