It’s Monday. Training day. And she doesn’t rest. She is focused. Without stopping moving, she tidies up on the grass, chats with her companions. Alexia Putellas returns to the UEFA Women’s Champions League against Benfica (today, at 9:00 p.m., on DAZN) to defend the FC Barcelona title. She now, with a new position, she at the tip of the spear, while she adapts to recover her maximum level. The same one that she believed she could not rescue from her after the cruciate ligament injury she suffered in the summer of 2022. “No way,” she thought then. “Find someone else to win the Champions League. “I have broken,” she wrote to her coach Jonatan Giráldez.
Barça’s 11 won its first Champions League, in 2021. And the then captain Vicky Losada did the honors with the trophy. After losing the 2022 final to Lyon, mascara staining his face, Putellas played the final minutes of last year’s final. And he left the bench to point the cup towards the sky: it was a sign of resilience, a promise, a promise, I will return.
In that Champions League final he made his comeback after nine months of injury. Only nine minutes left in the entire European tournament, a thorn in the side. “Alexia is Alexia. She had no doubt that she would return to a great level. Knowing her, for her, getting rid of the thorn meant playing again and feeling like a soccer player. These injuries are very complicated, but our teammates are here for whatever you need,” says Mapi León before the game against Benfica.
The crack in his knee haunted him for a year. The Mollet del Vallès player broke down in training with the national team. She was in her prime and she was afraid of never being the same again, of forgetting the throne and the crown. To put aside the nickname: The Queen. But Alexia’s fears were transformed into ambition and work. And although everything seemed to fall apart with the loss of Putellas at Barça, soon Aitana Bonmatí, along with Patri Guijarro, occupying more advanced areas, and Keira Walsh, made up for her absence in the center of the field.
Until he came back. After nine months off the pitch. And in the summer she managed to win the World Cup with her teammates. With the start of Barcelona’s season, Giráldez had a problem. Happy problem: fitting Alexia into the team. But in the middle zone there was overbooking. With Mariona Caldentey and Claudia Pina generating, Aitana, Patri and Walsh flowing through the center, the coach had to look for a new position for the two-time Ballon d’Or winner. He found a tailored space for her given her new needs and virtues: playing like false 9 and exploit her scoring vision: before breaking down, in the 2021-2022 season she was the team’s top scorer with 34 goals and 21 assists in 43 games. And the striker was a position in the squad that was only natural for Asisat Oshoala. “We already have a very high level in the game with Aitana, Patri or Keira, and players who give us depth. Alexia is the player who scored the most goals before the injury, we had to take advantage of that sense of smell and we tried to create a context for her in which she is close to the area,” Jonatan explained.
Although he is still adapting. “I will do everything possible to contribute to the team, whatever the position,” explained Putellas in his league debut. And what seemed like an experiment that caused concern among the culés has become a habit. He combines that false 9 in some games with his natural position as an interior.
For Alexia it is a challenge: “I am learning, it is an obvious change and I come from a year out due to the injury. I get a lot of video and individual sessions. “I already master the inside position, so learning a new one will make me even better.”
After the injury, the Barça player tries to recover the lost explosiveness. Playing up front helps you minimize routes, and focus on generating chances. Although she loses more balls than in past seasons, she dribbles less and she seems uncomfortable at times, she touches the ball more in the opponent’s area. She does not abandon her role as captain: she orders the team and chats with Jonatan after the games despite scoring goals. Little by little she regains her game, and her offensive virtues emerge. She surpassed 400 games at the start of League F, and broke Barça’s scoring record: she is the top scorer in the club’s history with 182 goals.
The red date to recover his maximum level is December, a year and a half after his injury. For now, there is no lack of motivation in the locker room for the game against Benfica, Mapi confesses: “The team is very eager and hungry to compete. We always want to be the best and we work for this. After winning, the ambition is greater.” Also for Alexia. She is now ready to fight for her throne and his crown. She can play in the Champions League again, and that thorn will disappear without leaving a scar. Just the one on her left knee. This Champions League is her personal revenge.
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