Bon dia, Culers! It’s that time of the year again when a new football season begins in the world of female football. Our favorite team, FC Barcelona Femeni, the champions of Spain and Europe, and of course the best team in the world, is set to go on another season-long voyage to compete for trophies and deliver amazing performances to fans both home and abroad.
However, no club goes into a new season without preparing for the challenges ahead, and that is exactly what this piece is about: written to prepare your mind and set your expectations for your favorite club going into the 2024/2025 season.
Season Recap
Barcelona Femeni as usual, was all-conquering last season, winning all the trophies across every competition they participated in.
The team won the Spanish Super Cup, the Copa de La Reina, the Liga F, and the prestigious Champions League for the second consecutive time. The magnificent Barcelona team, plagued by an injury crisis that kept most of their top players out of the season for extended periods, delivered amazing performances to secure and seal all four trophies.
Injury-Ridden Squad
Barcelona’s captain Alexia Putellas was unavailable for larger parts of the season; Fridolina Rolfo also returned towards the end of the season following her recovery from a knee injury, while the team also lost one of the best centre-backs in the sport, Mapi Leon, to a knee injury that forced her to the sidelines for the rest of the season.
All that talk about injuries, and yet we haven’t mentioned the numerous short-term injuries to Irene Paredes, Caroline Graham Hansen, Aitana Bonmati, and Salma Paralluelo during the course of the season.
Departure of Key Players
In the midst of the season, Barcelona Femeni announced that a few personnel would be leaving the club, including now former head coach Jonatan Giraldez.
However, during the winter transfer window, veteran striker Asisat Oshoala bid farewell to the club, and she moved to Bay FC in the NWSL.
Sandra Panos also announced her departure from the club at the end of the season. The goalkeeper has now moved to Mexico to continue her career.
Strong Winning Mentality
And despite all of the odds stacked against them, Barca came out of the dugout every matchday meeting and exceeded expectations every game.
Did you say every matchday? Relax; of course you are thinking about the two or three games where we failed to win; I agree those were talking points that failed to make a dent in the overwhelming confidence and strong mentality of the Catalan giants.
Speaking of confidence and a winning mentality, the biggest moment was in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, where Barcelona pulled a comeback away from home in England after suffering their first loss of the season at home against Chelsea in the first leg.
That win set them up for a final against Olympique Lyonnais, a team many would agree with me that up until the moment where Barcelona recorded their first victory over the French side were Barcelona’s bane of existence.
Our dear club had fallen to Lyon at every point whenever both sides met and had even seen the French club deny them of a Champions League title after another loss in the final.
However, if there is any club in football capable of rewriting history, it would be Barcelona. And the team could not have found a better moment to do that when they recorded their first victory over Lyon with a 2-0 win in the final of the Champions League, a few miles away from home in Bilbao.
And the moment when Alexia Putellas found the back of the net in the dying minutes of the game was undoubtedly the highlight of the year for every player across the globe.
Heading Into the New Season
While looking back at previous achievements and revelling in the memories is beautiful and can sometimes prove to be a source of motivation and inspiration, it’s important to set our minds on what is ahead of us.
It’s a new season with new prospects, expectations, and objectives. Barcelona Femeni will once again be competing on all fronts this season, and if winning all trophies last season was tough, defending the titles this season will prove to be more difficult than ever.
All clubs have experienced changes; with the departure and recruitment of players, initiating young players into the squad, and refreshed vigor and vitality for the new season, Barcelona has a tough job ahead of them. It’s time to prove that their achievements of last season were well deserved and not a fluke.
However, it’s easier said than done. Let’s take a quick look at the changes the squad has experienced during the break before delving into the expectations and objectives for the new season.
Departures
Barcelona has seen changes made to the triumphant side that ruled the world last season as certain players have decided to leave the club in search of a new challenge, while some have been sent on loan to other clubs to gather experience and get enough playing time.
First on the list is former head coach Jonatan Giraldez, who is currently managing the American team, the Washington Spirits, in the NWSL. Giraldez left Barcelona on a high note, winning all trophies in his final stint as Barcelona Femeni’s coach.
Barcelona also bid farewell to long-time serving member of the squad, Mariona Caldentey, who left to join Arsenal in the Women’s Super League in England.
England right-back Lucy Bronze also left the team to join Chelsea in the English League as well.
Lucia Corrales and Bruna Vilamala were loaned out to Sevilla and Brighton and Hove Albion, respectively, to get enough experience and game time.
New Faces in the Locker Room
There is a saying that “change is constant,” and especially when it comes to football clubs, that saying is undeniable. Such is the case with Barca Femeni this coming season.
The departure of former head coach Jonatan Giraldez has meant that the club had to hire a new manager. A member of staff in the former coach’s personnel, Pere Romeu, has been given the mantle of leadership at the club and is expected to lead the team to even greater heights this season.
Barcelona also signed former Wolfsburg forward Ewa Pajor during the transfer window. The Polish striker will be donning Blaugrana colors for the next few seasons and has hit the ground running in preseason, scoring some fantastic goals.
The exit of veteran goalkeeper Sandra Panos meant that the goalkeeping section of the squad needs to be reinforced. Barca has recruited English international Ellie Roebuck for free from Manchester City, and we can’t wait to see her in action for the club.
To top it all off, Barcelona signed another extraordinary midfielder from Benfica to complete an already amazing transfer window. Kika Nazareth was brought in on a record transfer fee, and the Portuguese midfielder is quickly adapting to her new home.
What to Expect from the New Signings?
Starting with the head coach, Pere Romeu, the achievements of his predecessor will serve as a benchmark. The new manager has big boots to fill, and nothing less than a haul of trophies will be enough to prove his quality as Barcelona’s new coach.
However, with him being a member of the previous manager’s coaching staff, Romeu is no stranger to the players and philosophy of the club. Thus, it should be a seamless transition for the new manager.
The departures of Mariona Caldentey and Asisat Oshoala have seen Barcelona short of a player in attack. The club has done exceptionally well in responding to a situation that plagued the club throughout last season.
With the signing of a traditional number ‘9’ like Ewa Pajor, Barcelona’s attack has received a boost. The Polish forward is a natural goalscorer and also possesses incredible ball-playing abilities when she’s not in the penalty area.
Her presence will release that fluidity and impressive combo in attack with Caroline Graham Hansen and Salma Paralluelo on the wings in a three-pronged attack.
Kika Nazareth has also hit the ground running, and the Portuguese will prove very crucial during the busy part of the season. Keeping in mind that key players like Aitana Bonmati, Alexia Putellas, and Patri Guijarro were all in action during the break representing Spain in the qualifiers and the Olympics.
Fatigue might set in during the season, and a fresh pair of legs with quality like Kika will be a huge difference for Barca.
Cata Coll and Gemma Font have found a new partner in goal for Barcelona. The English goalie who had fallen out of grace with both club (former) and country has received a second chance to prove her quality with Barcelona.
Although Ellie Roebuck has yet to feature for Barcelona, the goalkeeper will definitely have her moments in the coming days. Cata Coll, like other players mentioned earlier, had a busy break representing Spain, and while she may not be as fatigued as outfield players, the Spanish goalkeeper has a history with injuries that has seen her miss a few games over the years.
Should such cases arise, Roebuck would have a chance to play in between the sticks for Barcelona.
Season Expectations and Objectives
We are Barcelona; our expectations and objectives remain the same as they’ve always been. Compete for all trophies while playing the most beautiful football anyone has ever seen.
The achievements of last season have raised the bar high on what we expect to see of our favorite team. Thus, culers around the globe would love to see another spectacular season-long display of excellence and trophies to wrap it all up.
