Alexia Putellas said a “tough week” led to her tears as Barcelona booked their place in a sixth successive Champions League final on Sunday.
Putellas, 32, scored twice as Barça beat Bayern Munich 4-2 on Sunday — setting up a final with OL Lyonnes in Oslo on May 23 after a 5-3 aggregate win — in what could prove her last ever game for the club at Camp Nou.
The two-time Ballon d’Or winner was in tears when she was substituted late in the second half and again when the team performed a lap of honour after the victory with her future still uncertain.
Her contract expires in the summer and, while Barça are keen to extend her deal, there is currently no agreement in a place over a renewal, with sources telling ESPN “seven or eight” clubs around the world are monitoring the midfielder’s situation.
“How could I not [get emotional]?” Putellas told Disney+ after the game when asked about he reaction to being taken off.
“Camp Nou full once again, packed with fans, coming from the training ground on the bus, seeing the streets full of Barça shirts…
“To be honest, it’s been a bit of tough week for me, but the important thing is we won the game and are in another final. And I got emotional.
“At the end, when I saw my number go up for the substitution, all those emotions came out that I have been holding in all week. And that’s it. At the end of the day, it’s not a bad thing to show your emotions, either.”
Putellas said part of the reason she had a bad week was because of the disappointment of only drawing the first leg in Munich, but she did not elaborate on any other motives.
“Well, yes, but that was just the first few days,” she added when questioned if the result at the Allianz Arena was the reason she has had a difficult time.
“There was a bit of anger, a bit of frustration, because we felt we could have won that game. And it’s also part of that high standards we set within the dressing room, which brings out those emotions too.
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“But that was it, one or two days, then back into work mode once again. We got back to it, which is what we love doing, preparing for today’s game. We were confident it would go as it has.”
Barça, winners of the Champions League in 2021, 2023 and 2024, now face eight-time winners Lyonnes in the final later this month.
The match is a repeat of the 2019, 2022 and 2024 final, with Lyonnes winning the first two and Barça the last one when the teams met in Bilbao two years ago.
In that final two years ago, Jonatan Giráldez was the coach of Barça, but he will be leading Lyonnes in Oslo after joining the French club last year following a brief stint with Washington Spirit.
