2023-04-26 14:55:32
BarcelonaAlexia received a pass from Claudia Pina inside the area, with control she got rid of a rival defense and with the captain’s armband on she shot the goalkeeper to add to the list of Barça scorers in the Copa de la Reina final won at Sporting de Huelva on May 29 last year in Alcorcón. It was the 93rd minute, and it was his last action in that game and with the Barça shirt. It was only a week ago that Alexia had cried on the pitch at Turin’s Juventus Stadium after losing the Champions League final to Olympique de Lyon. At the time, neither she nor anyone expected that the worst was yet to come.
alexia The name that excites the fans of Barça, the name that is repeated tirelessly by the media and attracts brands. The name that welcomes women’s football with open arms. Almost nine months have passed since that fateful morning in England when the youngster tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in one of Spain’s final training sessions before the start of the Euros. Tomorrow, the two-time Ballon d’Or winner will again wear shorts in a Barça match, 333 days later, after receiving medical clearance and entering the call-up to face Chelsea (6.45 p.m. / TV3 and DAZN ) at Camp Nou in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals. The Blaugrana team arrives with the advantage of 0-1 achieved on Saturday at Stamford Bridge.
The forecast is that Alexia will only return in an ideal scenario. That is to say, that Barça have the tie decided when there are 10 minutes to go before the end of the match and the Valais can jump on the grass to receive the tribute of their fans in a context that is not of the highest demand. She, her sponsors and the club are dying to end the nightmare. But in a return after such a serious injury, any precaution is little, and the first to know it are the Barça medical services, supporters of going with lead feet. The midfielder has significantly reduced the time out stipulated by this injury, which is 10 to 12 months. You don’t have to go far to compare it to other cases, as unfortunately there are three other Blaugrana players who have recently suffered the same setback. None of them managed to reduce the year of leave. Cata Coll was medically discharged 374 days after the injury; Jana Fernández returned to play 386 days later, and Bruna Vilamala took 389.
The danger of pressuring Alexia on her return
A Barça with Alexia is not the same as without. A Spanish team with Alexia is not the same as without. A World Cup with Alexia is not the same as without. And the list could be extended to talk about the void left by the footballer during all this time. “Alexia is still a great player, but we have to understand that a year without playing matches has some consequences that have to be mitigated over time. Alexia will not be the same as before the injury in the first game she plays “, said Lluís Cortés, former Barcelona coach, in a recent interview with ARA. And he added: “What scares me is that the media and the fans put too much responsibility on him.”
Instead, the author of the goal at Stamford Bridge, Caroline Graham Hansen, explained in the media day prior to the match at the Camp Nou that he does not believe that “too much pressure is being put on Alexia’s return” and that “inside the club everyone is calm” in this regard. More cautious is Sandra Paños. “The most important thing is that she has good feelings. She still has a long way to go until she reaches her maximum level. She has to be rolling little by little. We have to be aware of the severity of the injury she has had and put her more pressure is not right,” he said.
During Alexia’s layoff, her substitute in the inside right position in most games has been Patri Guijarro, whose natural position is that of pivot. “The change was not comfortable. Despite also being in the middle of the field it is a completely different position. But after Christmas I found myself better. At the beginning of the season I watched videos of Alexia because the movements she makes they are very good and they helped me to give me ideas”, revealed the Mallorcan.
Alexia’s influence on the national team
Right now, Alexia has five major sponsors: the also sponsors of Barça Nike, Cupra and Allianz; the Hublot watch brand, and Visa, which is also a sponsor of the Women’s World Cup that will be held this summer. Therefore, from a commercial point of view there are many actors interested in the Alexia brand shining again in its greatest splendor. “Beyond his talent on the pitch, he is a person who has presence and knows how to speak in public. In addition, he has professionals behind him who have worked very well on his product,” a source close to ARA explains to ARA the player
Alexia’s influence can also be used to resolve conflicts. Several sources have explained to this newspaper that, if he recovers adequately from his injury and is in an optimal state to compete in the World Cup, the return of the Blaugrana to the Spanish national team could de-escalate some situations of conflict between the federation and the 15 players who signed a letter asking not to be called up until there were improvements in the conditions of the concentrations. But the reality at this time, according to the same sources, is that those involved have not received any news from the highest body of Spanish football and that it is getting closer to the day that Jorge Vilda will give the preliminary list for the world
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