Spain‘s Alexia Putellas has said she is a “better Alexia now” as she looks to prove a point at this summer’s European Championship after missing the last one through injury.
Putellas, 31, tore her ACL on the eve of the tournament in England three years ago and was subsequently sidelined for the best part of a year.
The Barcelona midfielder said the frustration of being out for so long has ultimately helped her to improve, as she targets success with Spain in Switzerland next month.
“I am a better Alexia now,” she told reporters from Spain’s headquarters in Madrid before the team relocates to its base in Lausanne next week.
World champions Spain head into the tournament as favourites, even more so after a comeback win against England earlier this month, but Putellas played down that tag.
“We’re massively demanding of ourselves, but there are some top sides at the tournament,” she said.
“I am confident that if we’re at our best, we will be much closer to winning every game, first in the group stages and then in the latter rounds, than not, but it’s really hard.
“There are five or six sides with great players: England, Germany, France, Italy are a really uncomfortable side to face as well, Sweden… I don’t want to forget anyone, but I think they’re all teams that could perfectly win the trophy.”
Spain face Japan in a friendly later this week before their Euro 2025 campaign gets underway against Portugal in Group B on July 3, with Belgium and Italy to follow.
