Arsenal Ladies midfielder Kim Little is in a confident mood ahead of the team’s Champions League last-16 tie against Potsdam at Meadow Park on Thursday.

The Gunners won the competition in 2007 but have fallen at the semi-final stage in each of the last two seasons. Little though, is optimistic about their chances.

“I think we’ve got the ability to go one step further this season,” she said. “We need to score and defend well and hopefully we’ll be on top of our game.”

This season, Arsenal retained the Women’s Super League title and followed that up by winning the Continental Cup final. However, by the time they face the German outfit it will have been more than three weeks since their last club match but Little doesn’t think this will be a problem.

“I think we’ll be fresh,” she explained. “We won’t have lost anything because we’ll still be training and people will have had a break from playing two games a week so if anything it will be to our advantage.”

Arsenal travel to Germany next week for the second leg and Little knows the importance of getting a good result at home.

“We know we can play well at Borehamwood so hopefully we can do that in the first leg and take it to Potsdam.”

For Little personally it has been an excellent season. As well as representing Team GB at the Olympics, the Scotland international was the WSL’s top scorer and netted a stunning late winner against Birmingham in the Continental Cup final.

“Looking back on it, it’s been a pretty incredible year,” she said.

“Representing Team GB is something I’m sure I’ll never experience again in my life, then we retained the league and cup and getting top goalscorer was an added personal bonus so I’m very pleased.”

Despite all the success, Little says winning trophies still means as much as ever to the players.

“Every trophy is as good as the one before so it means a lot,” she told me. “We’re as excited as ever to win any trophy.”

A good result on Thursday will see The Gunners move a step closer to adding more silverware to their already impressive collection.

Tickets for Arsenal Ladies v FFC Turbine Potsdam (kick-off 2pm) can be purchased from the gate at Boreham Wood FC, priced £5 adults, with free entry for children aged 16 and under.