Salma Paralluelo: unfair tears and a reluctant 'reset'

BarcelonaFC Barcelona continues to accumulate headaches in the infirmary. While the team was still reeling from Ewa Pajor's serious injury, a new setback has struck Pere Romeu's forward line: Salma Paralluelo will be sidelined for the next few months due to a rupture of the medial collateral ligament in her left knee. A victim of the dreaded FIFA virus, she won't play again until well into 2026.

The young Aragonese striker left the pitch at La Rosaleda in Málaga in tears during the friendly match that the Spanish national team played a few days ago against Sweden. It was the 25th minute when, after a collision with Swedish defender Amanda Ilestedt, Salma collapsed on the grass. Images of her pain set off alarm bells, both at the national team's training camp and at the Joan Gamper Training Ground. There was cause for concern: the injury was serious and came at the worst possible time.

The injury cuts short the resurgence of Salma Paralluelo, who had yet to rediscover her best form as a footballer, which coincided with winning the 2023 World Cup. After an idyllic first season in Barcelona, ​​the striker has gradually lost her place in the team and her confidence in her game. Her recent performances, both with Barça and the Spanish national team, had drawn criticism from the fans. The statistics spoke for themselves: less frequent appearances in the starting eleven, less involvement in attack, and a growing sense of discomfort on the pitch. In the 2023-24 season, she had posted excellent numbers, scoring 34 goals in 36 matches, but the subsequent decline was more than noticeable, with only 13 goals the following season. In the Women's Champions League final against Arsenal, Pere Romeu left her on the bench from the start, and her role as a substitute reinforced the perception that she had lost prominence in the coach's plans.

Nor was the situation any better with the national team. During the European Championship, Paralluelo only started one match, and in the final, she again began on the bench, coming on in extra time. That night, she squandered several clear-cut chances that could have decided the title, and to make matters worse, she missed the decisive penalty in the shootout. A series of frustrating moments left her emotionally shaken and reinforced the feeling that she was going through a fragile period in her footballing career, far from the level she had shown two years prior.

Now, the injury comes as the worst possible outcome to a period of personal and professional instability. What should have been a new beginning to rediscover her best form has become a forced stoppage that shatters any continuity. Barça, already dealing with significant absences in attack, loses another valuable asset, but the reality is that Salma was not at her best. However, the club is confident that this forced break will allow her to recover, regain her strength, and return with the determination that made her one of the most dynamic players on the continent. In fact, she has been on the Ballon d'Or podium two years in a row.

The loss for Pere Romeu

Barça loses a valuable asset and, possibly, their most explosive and unpredictable player. Salma's power, speed, and ability to attack open spaces are difficult to replace, especially in a team accustomed to creating advantages through movement and offensive intensity. Her absence will force Romeu to readjust tactics and find new ways to maintain the high tempo that characterizes the Blaugrana.

Before the injury, the coach had praised the forward's progress, hinting that he saw her on the right track to rediscovering her best form: "Salma gives us everything. She's a player who makes runs off the ball, with the ability to cut inside and a good finish. Her ball protection has improved a lot, which is one of her strengths. She's getting back to her best."

Despite the importance of her absence, Barça has alternatives to minimize its impact. Claudia Pina is emerging as the leading candidate to fill her position. The player from Vallès, with her composure and talent, offers more than enough to cover the absence of the player from Zaragoza. More cerebral than explosive, her style can provide continuity to the team's play and make her a dangerous presence in the opponent's box when the team needs her most.