The Big Interview: Emma Holmgren

The Levante goalkeeper speaks about her decision to move to Spain, her plan after two years on the bench in Lyon, being a world champion in Bandy and the development of goalkeeping...

Emma Holmgren joined Levante last summer from Lyon in search of regular football. Image: Levante UD

Sat in the middle of a quaint and quiet park in the middle of the Spanish city of Valencia, life looks both relaxed and content.

So does the footballer sat on the bench taking in her surroundings – Levante’s number one goalkeeper, Swede Emma Holmgren.

The 26-year-old is one of just a few Swedes choosing to ply their trade in the Liga F, but after two years largely sat on the bench at European giants Lyon, this was all part of her wider plan to develop herself.

With Levante once again sitting as best of the rest behind Barcelona and Real Madrid, it’s been a good season amidst stories of financial issues for the club as a whole.

“We’ve done a pretty good season,” she says with a smile. “We’re at the top end of the league and for me it’s been very fun and nice to play games again after my two years in Lyon.

“It was two years where I did a lot of training, but playing games here, learning the Spanish culture, the football culture, we’re playing well and we play what I’d call high risk football. We like to play, to play out, start from the goalkeeper and I’m a part of the game, that sometimes isn’t always the case, so I like it a lot at the moment.”