Barça women’s team is facing one of their most difficult seasons. Surpassing last season will be a very difficult objective for the blaugranas, who once again want to do everything they can to continue filling their trophy cabinet.
The 22/23 season has been a dream come true for the Catalan side. Without their top star, Alexia Putellas, due to injury, they have won practically everything. Their only resistance came in the Queen’s Cup, where they were knocked out of the competition for improper alignment.
FC Barcelona started the season, as always, by winning. The blaugranas won the Spanish Super Cup after beating Real Sociedad in the final. Barcelona’s superiority was evident from the start of the season.
They were crowned Fem League champions with four games to spare. Precisely, this was their fourth consecutive league title. Barça had an ‘almost’ perfect regular season, as they lost 2-1 to Madrid CFF on the last matchday. Perhaps in that game they were more focused on the Champions League final.
The finishing touch to their season would be the second Champions League title. They won the final heroically with a comeback for the history books. They went in at half-time trailing by two goals to Wolfsburg, but in the second half they played their best football and Patri Guijarro’s two goals and Rolfo’s goal gave them the victory.
Barça women’s team’s squad for the 23/24 season has been finalised after several key moves that have even left some much-needed cash in the club’s coffers. Great players such as Laia Codina (Arsenal), Geyse (Manchester United), Nuria Rábano (Wolfsburg) and Ana-Maria Crnogorčević (Atlético de Madrid) have been released.
Their only signings have been Ona Batlle and Esmee Brugts. Both are young players with great potential for the future. The former is a home-grown player and has been playing at a very high level for Manchester United for years. She is considered the best right-back in the world by many. The second is a Dutch midfielder, who has been one of the great revelations of the World Cup. Present and future for Barça, a clear safe bet.
The signings have been arriving lately, especially in the youth system. The club has started to bring in young international talents to finish training them in La Masia. Norwegian Martine Fénger has been one of the latest additions. Last season they signed Vicky López and Giulia Dragoni, who made her debut for Italy in this World Cup.
Perhaps the most unbalanced position is left-back. After Rolfo’s meniscus injury at the World Cup, it remains to be seen who will occupy that position. The other positions are more than covered.
Shortening the first team squad has the objective of giving opportunities to young players. Players such as Ari Mingueza (Granada) and María Pérez (Sevilla) have had to leave this season in search of playing time to continue growing. This year, youth players such as Dragoni, Martina, Ari Arias and Corrales are expected to continually move up to the first team.
Barça know that they are going through a bad time financially and must continue to look for strategies so that this doesn’t affect the women’s section. Currently, their best players are mostly home-grown and they must continue in this vein.
The first test for the Catalan side will be on the second matchday of the league this Saturday away from home against Madrid CFF. The first matchday wasn’t played due to the strike. This match will be the first official one for the new signings and many internationals after winning the World Cup, so it will generate a lot of expectation.
Barça women’s team must continue to invest in young talent and maintain their mainstays in order to have the basis for continued success. Surpassing last season is difficult, but not impossible with this squad. The few new signings will be a plus and the recovery of the injured will be key.
Will Barça be able to improve on their feat again?
Translated by Marcos Rodríguez.
Main image: @FCBfemeni.
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