Alexia Putellas injured her knee during last summer’s European Championships. The star player returned to the pitch on Sunday as Barcelona secured their fourth consecutive title.
Barcelona supporters had reason to celebrate on Sunday.
The team beat Sporting Huelva 3–0 at home and secured their fourth consecutive championship. At the same time, it got back its star player and captain Alexia Putellans, who has been sidelined for almost a year due to a knee injury. He injured his knee during training for the Spanish national team before last summer’s European Championships.
However, Putellas was awarded as the best footballer in the world with the Ballon d’OR award last October, even though he did not play in the European Championship. He also received the award in 2021.
Putellas was already in the team’s composition in Thursday’s Champions League match, but did not play yet. On Sunday, he ran onto the field for the last quarter and naturally received thunderous applause from the home crowd.
The Spanish national team is also sure to be happy about the star player’s recovery – if he is involved. The ranks of the national team broke up last fall and 15 players were required by the coach Jorge Vilda to resign.
The list included six Barcelona players, but not, for example Irene Paredes. Vilda left everyone unnamed to the national team, and they haven’t been seen at national team events since then.
The FIFA World Cup starts in July in New Zealand and Australia.
Barcelona dominated
Barcelona’s mark on the pitches of their home country has been staggering again. The team has not yet lost a single game in their home league this season, and the goal difference is a dull 108–5. In the main series, the team has suffered its previous defeat in the 2020-21 season, when it lost to Atletico. Since then, they have won 61 straight games.
On Thursday, Barcelona also secured their place in the Champions League final again. Its opponent will be revealed on Monday, when Arsenal host Wolfsburg. The teams’ first meeting ended 2–2. The final will be played on June 3 in the Netherlands.