Barça will arrive in Madrid with the best possible feeling after thrashing Athletic Club at the Johan Cruyff Stadium with goals from Salma Paralluelo, Carla Julià, Sydney Schertenleib, and braces from Claudia Pina and Kika Nazareth (7-1). A large crowd is expected to witness another impressive performance from Pere Romeu's team before they face Real Madrid three times in a week. The Blaugrana will visit the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium next Wednesday, April 25, for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final (6:45 pm) and again on Sunday, April 29, for a league match (9 pm). Furthermore, on Thursday, April 2, Barça will return to the Camp Nou for the second leg of their Champions League tie (6:45 pm). Salma Paralluelo—who played left-back against Badalona last Wednesday and center forward this Saturday—started the Catalan victory with the first goal of the match after a through ball from Clara Serrajordi to Alexia Putellas bypassed two lines of pressure. The midfielder from Mollet del Vallès crossed the ball and Salma sent it into the back of the net to make it 1-0.

Alexia Putellas is the big name in this final stretch of the season. The captain's contract ends next June, although she has an option for another year. The player from Mollet del Vallès is very happy at Barça, "the club of her life," but she isn't thinking about her future right now. Alexia is highly motivated and focused on the remainder of the season. The midfielder has stood out in the last two victoriesHis three goals have given him a lot of confidence ahead of the most demanding matches. The club explains that they are in "ongoing talks," but according to ARA, the renewal will not happen immediately.

There are plays that can change your life. There are also moments when you have to make important decisions that shape your path. Salma Paralluelo (Zaragoza, 2003) had to choose between football and athletics when she was just 18. After three seasons combining both sports professionally at Villarreal, in the summer of 2022 she received a call from Barça. It was months after scoring a goal at the Johan Cruyff Stadium that earned her a Puskás Award nomination. An offer to play for one of the best teams in the world, but one that would require her to give up athletics. "I excelled at both sports," explains Diego Manero, the Villarreal physiotherapist who worked with her during her anterior cruciate ligament injury.