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Arsenal whipped an inexperienced Barcelona side, which included a young Putellas, in its competition debut by the combined score of 7-0 over two games back in 2012.

After joking to reporters that she didn鈥檛 want to recall the lopsided scoreline in those back-to-back losses to Arsenal, Putellas reflected on the growth of her club since then. She recalled the tiny crowds her team used to draw compared to the Estadio de Jose Alvalade which will be a 50,000-seat sell-out on Saturday.

鈥淔rom those first games in this competition, it was impossible to imagine everything that would come later,鈥� Putellas said on Friday. 鈥淚 am privileged to have been along for this journey. And it continues with the final.

鈥淚t is anecdote that this all started with the first game against Arsenal and we will now play them tomorrow.”

The final will be Barcelona鈥檚 100th game in the Women鈥檚 Champions League.

First star of Spain women’s soccer

Putellas, 31, has done more than any player to put Barcelona at the pinnacle of women鈥檚 soccer. She was its best player when it won its first Champions League in 2021 and helped put women鈥檚 soccer in Spain on the global map when she won back-to-back Ballon d鈥橭r awards. Her emergence as a star coincided with the pronounced slump of Barcelona鈥檚 men following the departure of Lionel Messi.

It is also hard to imagine that Spain would have won the 2023 World Cup without the boost Putellas gave the sport.

And when Spain was embroiled in crisis after its then soccer federation president Luis Rubiales kissed a player without consent during the World Cup awards ceremony, it was Putellas who that prompted his downfall.

Back to her best

Putellas won the in 2021 and 2022 because of her goal-scoring and leadership from Barcelona鈥檚 midfield.

Then put her star status in doubt for Barcelona and Spain. She was sidelined for months and, when she returned to the field, she was reported to be considering a move from Barcelona due to her limited playing time. But last May she signed a two-year contract extension.

Those injuries and stiff competition from a packed Barcelona midfield that also features reigning Ballon d鈥橭r holder meant that Putellas played only the final minutes of the last two Champions League finals as a late substitute.

But she is back at her best this season and has recovered her starting spot. So she is set to start against Arsenal.

鈥淲hen you keep getting injured, you lose your playing rhythm,鈥� Putellas said. 鈥淭his year I stayed healthy and I put in the work to feel good all season and play at my best.鈥�

As for her motivation to keep winning?

鈥淵ou always want to focus on the next objective, forgetting what you have achieved,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ur next objective is tomorrow’s final and we will give it our all to achieve it.鈥�

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