Alexiaâs departure from Barça began a long time agoânot in recent weeks, nor after the Champions League at Camp Nou on her 500th match, nor when she went to London to watch a match.
It started years ago, when she had to beg for a contract renewal and accept a pay cutâwhen it became clear to her, and to everyone else, that the club (or at least the board) didn't value her as a player.
At her lowest point as an player, after she torn her ACL, part of the club and the coaching staff turned their backs on her .And as with everything in life, once the blinders come off, you stop seeing the world through rose-colored glasses.
She was sidelined, receiving limited playing time because the coach didn't believe in her; the club turned Aitana into their new toy, and Alexia, the broken and forgotten toy, had to fight to reclaim her placeâwith the final at San MamĂ©s marking the first step.
Until two days ago, we had fans criticizing her 24/7âsaying she was out of form, old, washed up; that Serra was already there and she wasn't needed; that she should be sold; and other things that were far worse and very hurtful.
The very same fans whoâwhen she announced she was leaving Barçaâinsisted she had to stay because *they* decided so, are the same ones calling her all sorts of names today; one person on Twitter even said she would have been better off dying in the Venezuela earthquake along with her family, because they are money-grubbing rats.
So Alexia has leftâwhich is what they wantedâyet theyâre still not happy; no matter where she went, she was going to be branded a traitor, because they never really loved her. It hurts deeply that sheâs no longer our captain, our onze; it hurts that she wonât play in our clubâs jersey again.
But after everything she has given the club, if she has now decided to leave for the moneyâand she is fully entitled to do soâand play with peace of mind, without so much pressure, after having played 14 years at Barça and won it all... well, that is what she deserves. It is a club with hardly any fans, but those few supporters won't call her a money-grubbing rat or scrutinize every damn mistake she makes, unlike a large part of the Barça fanbase.
Personally, I have made peace with the decision she made; as a Barça player, I have absolutely no complaints about her career. As for Alexia Putellas Seguraâthe person Iâve gotten to knowâshe was always ready for a photo, always smiling, signing jerseys and the like, and taking the time to chat with fans for a few minutes, after a match.
Her legacy extends beyond Barça; it also lives on through her foundation, which introduces girls from disadvantaged backgrounds to football. I have no doubt that a significant portion of her contract earnings will go toward that cause.
So, even though it stings, the real winner here isn't the millionaire Kangâitâs womenâs football, the base level, the young girls, and the future. That future generation won't have to fight the way Alexiaâand so many othersâdid to fulfill their dream of playing football.
And that is precisely why I believe only Alexia could have done this, despite all the hate she is receiving and is going to receive, and why she is and will always be "La Reina".