“I want it to be the European Championship of Spain, I don't care if it's mine or not”

Alexia Putellas (Mollet del Vallès, 1994) It comes to the smiling, calm and sweaty appointment. Exact not to greet with two kisses while taking a seat. “I'm sorry, but I'm soaked with sweat. This moisture … It reminds me of Barcelona and I like it,” he justifies. Take seat, grab the micro of the red 'm' and answer.

It is being a prior of injured Eurocup: Aitanian meningitis, tasting tasting, … How are the players living?

They have been two setbacks at the health level, in the case of Aitana something more important, but we are happy that they have overcome their diseases, we have them with us and that we see them already in the field that is our natural habitat.

How are you doing? What sensations do you have?

Eager to start the Eurocup. We have worked very hard to get in the best conditions and eager to start competing. Accustomed to playing every three days, when a long period of training is coming without competition you miss it.

I am the same Alexia, but having lived a long and difficult process that people are not aware

Alexia Putellas, player of the Barcelona

You know what a European Championship is to be lost for an unexpected setback in the previous one. Do you have what happened in 2022 (Break of the LCA of the left knee?

It has cost my job to leave it behind, but now I don't think about it. We are very close to starting the Eurocup and my sensations are totally good. What I can remember of that moment is to value these moments much more, enjoy, remember where I come from, feel good and thank what I am living.

The other day he commented that after the injury he felt a new Alexia. What does it mean?

I am the same Alexia, but having lived a long and difficult process. People are not aware of what an injury like this is. All the players that we have suffered being different. With the same conditions or others, but we are no longer the same. It changes the way of seeing things and forces you to work very hard to be at your level and be able to be in competitions like the one we are going to play these days.

He did not play the Eurocup of 2022, little in the 2023 World Cup, irregularly the 2024 games. Will this Eurocup be the Alexia tournament?

I hope it is the Spanish tournament. It doesn't matter if it is my tournament or not. I am looking forward to. I feel very well physically, mentally, with the ball I have those feelings that the players appreciate when you come into contact with the ball. I feel good, fine and willing to contribute everything I have at the service of the team and the coach to help the team and win matches that I am here for.

They have launched the message that they arrive in a climate of tranquility and professionalism.

In fact we commented on the other day. In this Eurocup we have three machine rooms and recovery. It is a detail, but of elite team. Sometimes the most veteran we talk about what we have lived and compare it with other tournaments where we had nothing of this. It is a totally different situation, but within the field it remains the same as always; Give your best version to be able to win the three games of this group stage and qualify for rooms.

Golden ball? What I want to win is the Eurocup

Alexia Putellas, player of the Barcelona

Can you overwhelm that there is so much focus about you?

No… (Smile). I do not want it to sound bad, but they are also years of training for this. I know that when we start playing I will be focused on my qualities, to put them at the service of the team, compete and win what I want.

He is again in the pools for the Golden Ball. After winning it twice, is it a prize that still motivates you?

Right now it is not my motivation. It is true that my generation has grown without that concept because it did not exist. I remember that before the first one won nobody said that his dream was that because we really did not have it. Now it still is, honestly. What I want to win is the Eurocup. It is the title that Spain lacks and the goal is to win it. We know that it will cost because it is surely one of the most matched Eurocups in history.

Does Big Data pay much about: goals, assists, possession, passes …? Because their numbers this year are outstanding.

No, but not because it does not give them importance, but because I am more of sensations. It is true that, beyond goals or assists, I mainly attend the occasions generated and normally when I feel that I am in a good time is when this statistic goes well that, by position, the goal is a bit.

Speaking of numbers, you scored your first goal with the selection in your debut in a Eurocup (2013).

The other day they interviewed me and they told me that they didn't give it to me, but I still think that I touched her with the ponytail. It doesn't matter, we won, it was the important thing. He came to debut in the friendly previous against Denmark and played against England. It was the ideal debut. I was 19 years old and I remember that the following days the companions helped me to manage the moment: 'Quiet … You have scored the goal, but we will continue that we have done nothing'. I have a lot to thank them for.

I dream of winning all possible titles and I am missing the Eurocup

Alexia Putellas, player of the Barcelona

Does he dream of football?

Lately yes. Sometimes even wake up, when I'm calm in my room, they come to mind, a control, a shot … when you happen to me that you are a little crazy, but it is good for me.

He has played and has won a lot, but what dreams have to fulfill?

This Eurocup, no doubt. It is the closest, the present right now. It is not to look good and I really tell you, I only think about the group stage, to win Portugal, Belgium and Italy. If we do well it will be seen. I dream of winning all possible titles and I am missing the Eurocup.

I don't know what result I would feel comfortable …

Visualizing what can happen in such a demanding tournament with such good teams is complicated. I would feel comfortable if we managed to reach our best version at the individual and collective level because I trust one hundred percent that that will bring us a lot to win.

It is a tournament where a 'dinosaurias' is missing. I imagine that he will miss Jenni beautiful.

Obviously. It is many years sharing costumes with the selection. In fact, when I arrived Irene and Jenni were already. There are many memories and miss it. This is the first tournament in which it is not, but it is a decision of the coach, who is the one who makes the lists.

Speaking of Montse I took. How is your relationship with her? Do they talk a lot about football?

Yes, he usually takes me many times to talk about football, comment on how we see it, tell me what he expects from me in each game or for the tournament. It is something that helps me. Then it depends on me inside the field to be able to do it.

With the queen I have had interesting and inspiring conversations from which I have learned a lot

Alexia Putellas, player of the Barcelona

What can worry more: fit goals (Spain has fit 13 of the last 14 games) or the increasingly closed rival defenses?

I am not worried about anything. Football is an errors and there is always something to improve. It is impossible to make a perfect game. These two aspects are things that we are working on, that we have been training these weeks and trust us. I think that defensively we are going to play a good role and in attack, it doesn't matter if the block we have in front of it is low, medium or squeezing up, we have many resources, records and players to overcome those obstacles.

After what happened in the games, will it assume the responsibility of launching penalties?

This season I have thrown penalties in the League, in Champions. If I consider it the coach, I trust me a lot and will go inside.

In addition to a great footballer, he is a character with more than five million followers on social networks. How do you manage them during a tournament like Eurocup?

It will not vary much to how I do it in my day to day. If I feel like consumption and if not, I do not. Normally I do not usually consume after a game because if we have won I like to enjoy that moment with the team and if we have lost you have to do a job, self -analysis and, as a captain, help the companions to have that bad time that we hope will not happen in this Eurocup.

A confidence. Before coming to Switzerland they were at the Palacio de la Zarzuela and was able to sports with Doña Letizia de Reina to Reina. What did he say?

(Laughs) I have agreed a couple of times with them in awards or visits that we have made, especially with the selection, and we have had interesting and inspiring conversations from which I have learned a lot. They are private and, allow me, I will not reveal any of that.

We are in a country where chocolate is a national product. I think you are very chocolate …

Less and less … before ate more. Now I give more pure cocoa and chocolate I don't consume so much.