Alexia Putellas warns: Past successes guarantee nothing for Barcelona in the Champions League
Barcelona midfielder Alexia Putellas has issued a crucial warning ahead of the Champions League final. Despite previous successes, Putellas emphasizes that past achievements guarantee nothing as the Catalan team seeks their third consecutive title against Arsenal in Lisbon.
Barça prepares for its sixth final in seven years and aims to lift the trophy for the fourth time in its history. Facing them, Arsenal reaches its first final since 2007, after overcoming Real Madrid and Lyon in the knockout rounds.
It’s a dilemma that all athletes have. You have to forget what the team has achieved and what you have done as a player to keep future goals going. It can be difficult to find that balance.
Alexia Putellas
Putellas highlighted the importance of maintaining motivation and focusing on the present. “We don’t look much at what we’ve done. We may have won three Champions League titles, but you don’t start tomorrow with a 1-0 lead.” The footballer emphasized that the team is focused on the next objective, which is the final.
The culé captain also highlighted the importance of preparation and focus in the match. “We will prepare in the best way and give everything to win the trophy. And once the match is over, we have another final ahead [in the Copa de la Reina]. That’s how this profession that we love is.”
The team reaches the final in great form, with ten consecutive victories in all competitions, scoring 48 goals and conceding only four.
Putellas, two-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, believes that, although anything can happen in a final, Barcelona has a good chance of winning at the Estádio José Alvalade if it plays at its best level.
“The finals are unpredictable,” he added. “Things always happen that you can’t control, but we are clear that in what depends on us, we know what we can do. Arsenal is a great team. They have great players and a great coach; there’s a reason they’re in the final. They scored four goals against Lyon and beat Madrid. It’s football, a lot can happen, the ball can go in or not, but we trust the plan we have. We know that by giving our best, we will have many opportunities and that can lead to goals that make you win the match and the trophy.”
Saturday’s clash against Arsenal offers Barça the opportunity to reflect on their evolution since their Champions League debut in 2012. Their first European match was, coincidentally, against the Gunners, who defeated them with an aggregate score of 7-0, but since then, much has changed, with the team preparing for their 100th appearance in the competition this weekend.
“In that first match it was unthinkable to imagine what would come next,” said Putellas. “The change since then has been incredible, especially since we became professionals. I feel privileged to have been part of the whole journey.”
Despite all their success in the following years, Barça is still behind some of Lyon’s records, eight-time champions, whom they defeated for the first time in last year’s final.
Aitana Bonmatí commented: “I don’t want to compare myself to Lyon. They had their own path. Now we have ours. Different teams in different years. We used to speak very highly of them. For us, they were the mirror in the past. Now maybe we are the mirror for many teams. We are proud of our path. We will try to make more history tomorrow.”
