After signing for Atlético de Madrid just over a month ago, this week’s UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifiers have been the first senior competitive minutes in red and white for Gio Queiroz.

When asked to reflect Wednesday’s shock defeat to Rosenborg, a game in which her side were up 1-0 as the ninety drew to a close, there was evidently an obvious frustration still brewing from the young forward.

She expressed, “It was a tough game. We were really upset because we had it in our hands“. When pressed about what the Spaniards downfall may have been on the occasion, Gio gave an ode of acknowledgement to the moment that allowed Rosenborg to equalise in 90+1′, recalling “set pieces, I guess we weren’t that focused“. Whilst there remains a sense of disappointment, there was a dignified acceptance that Champions League football has escaped the red-and-whites for a fourth consecutive season, simply citing “it’s football, it happens“.

The side’s third-place play off against Rangers on Saturday afternoon looked largely unsettled, so much so that at times it was obvious it was just a consolatory game. Gio echoed that same sentiment that may have been felt in the stadium, saying “today we knew that, it’s not as important“.

Though when reminded of the positive scoreline and her personal involvement in two of the three goals that brought about their emphatic victory over the Scottish side, Gio recognised her side’s shift in mindset. She expressed, “[with the league coming up] we have to play each game as if it’s a final”.

Players on the pitch have a different vision to those in the stands, and after spending sixty minutes in the dugouts, and thirty on the pitch, she was was posed with the challenge of deciding who she would choose to nominate for player of the match. The young Brazilian International could only laugh and ponder, and instead resorted to “all equal, all together” – a motto that she hopes will define Atlético’s season ahead.

The Brazilian reflected on her first preseason with the club fondly, and looks excitedly towards the upcoming season, not before being quick to credit the set up around her as a “great team, great club“. When asked about her personal ambitions and those of the club for the 2024/25 Liga F season, she smiled but was straight to the point about “training well and working hard“, and noting that if all goes to plan “we should have a really good season ahead“.

With their league campaign just days away from beginning at home to Grenade, we will find out if their multitude of new additions- including Gio and new manager Victor Martin- can help Atlético challenge their local rivals Real Madrid, as well as Spanish giants Barcelona.