24 hours during which Monse Tomé will decide on his return | Relief

At 23:59 this Thursday, February 22, the national team will sound an alarm. From now on, no player can be registered for the Women’s Nations League semi-finals. Or, what is the same thing, Montse Thome will already have to decide which players will be in La Roja’s squad for Friday’s match against the Netherlands, the most important on Spanish soil. As Relevo learned, The names of those chosen will be announced only on Friday morning..

There are two training sessions left – closed to the public and the press – this Wednesday, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, as well as a pre-match session this Thursday, at 17:45 and already in Seville, being at the stadium. La Cartuja Stadium. Till Friday, The manager will not announce the players who will be able to play in the vital match for his great challenge.: ticket to the Olympic Games in Paris 2024. Although the focus is not on this goal now. Into the depths of the Spanish dressing room. Alexia Putellas.

“There is a forecast that he may take the field”– the coach said in an interview with RTVE. A few words that have once again intensified the debate surrounding the controversial two-time Ballon d’Or winner and captain of Barça and the national team. Alexia, whose extension at Barca is still undecided, is facing the final stages of his recovery from a knee injury. A few days after everything broke out, with the announcement of the list of Monse Tomé and the subsequent unrest in the Barça club, These days, the midfielder has been working with the national team, following the plan that Barça set for her.

At this stage of readaptation, his training was focused on loads and exercises with a group. A phase that already began in the Catalan team last week and with which it intends to take the final steps to return to play after a break of more than two months. “He has to participate in these games, we know what process he went through. We know that he is in the process of readaptation, that all this continues to develop, and with great care we continue to work on his evolution and development. And we believe that he can be there,” Monse Thomé said at a press conference after his list.

The coach’s words already indicated what might happen. However, her statements to RTVE once again gave vent to the debate about whether Alexia Putellas should play or wait to play it safe. A fact that Monse Tome excluded at the press conference: “We’re not going to do anything crazy. There is nothing strange here or anything to hide.”

The Asturian asked for understanding and calm, despite the fact that her explanations did not calm the mood among those who were suspicious of the name Alexia Putellas on her list: “I think we have to understand this as a high-level professional. Where are the players who play for their clubs are looking forward to his arrival. Put yourself in the shoes of the person next to you and try to understand it. As a coach, I could understand that they wanted to come and they wanted to be there.”

Barça’s concerted appeal and anger

The Asturian coach has been monitoring her captain’s recovery process almost daily and has been in constant communication with him since she underwent knee surgery at the end of December. Thus, the call was agreed upon with the football player herself, who asked Barca not to interfere with her continuing training with the national team. Despite this, A number of media reported that this decision caused great anger in the culé organization. “I’m concerned about this change in momentum,” coach Jonathan Giraldes said at a news conference a few days later. At the height of the split, there was even mention of an alleged pact that was broken by a football player with whom they had not initially been in contact to express said discomfort and whose entourage denied it. Relief existence of a preliminary agreement in this regard.

Behind her call to the national team was hidden both a sporting reason, aimed at continuing training with teammates at the highest level (at Barça, most leave with their national team), and a more personal and managing the group, being one of the leaders of the Spanish dressing room. In this regard, it should be noted that the RFEF believes that in the last concentration the presence of Alexia Putellas was missed in terms of leadership.

A very important nuance that was confirmed not only by Monse Thomé, but also by Irene Paredes in an interview with Relevo on Tuesday. “It’s important that she’s there. She is one of the captains. Regardless of what he contributes on the field, which is a lot, he contributes a lot off the field. She leads the group very well and her figure is relevant,” said the Barca central defender, who shares the Spanish and Barca armband with the Catalan midfielder.

It should be noted that Alexia Putellas is not the only name marked in red on this list. Teresa Abelleira is also attracting attention after a few games where she was not called up by Real Madrid due to muscle discomfort. Like the national team captain, the Galician midfielder followed a specific plan upon arriving at the training camp in Las Roses and her name appears next to the question about playing in the Netherlands. A vital matchup in which Spain, the reigning world champions, will seek to qualify for the Olympic Games for the first time.