On Thursday afternoon, it was reported that Alexia Putellas, who spent 14 years at FC Barcelona and won two Ballons d’Or, was set to join London City Lionesses, a Women’s Super League club, for the next two seasons. Putellas wishes to remain close to Barcelona and has rejected offers from the United States. She is reportedly prioritizing a move to the English top flight to remain competitive and secure her place in the Spanish national team for next summer’s World Cup.
The official announcement from the Women’s Super League club has not yet been made, and the news emerged while Putellas was in Venezuela for a charity event. On her Instagram stories, Putellas confirmed she was well following the earthquakes that occurred overnight.
“Hello everyone. Following the earthquakes that took place yesterday in Venezuela, I want to tell you that my family and I are safe and sound in Caracas. Thank you for your messages. I wish much strength to all Venezuelans and all affected families in the face of this tragedy.”
Putellas was in the Venezuelan capital to participate in several charity events with her foundation, Eleven, in collaboration with the Monumental League, as reported by EFE agency. From there, she is expected to fly directly to London to be presented as the WSL’s new player.
Caracas is located near the epicenter where two earthquakes struck 38 seconds apart, damaging or causing the collapse of several buildings. The current death toll stands at 164, with nearly 1,000 injured, but fears remain that the toll could be much higher, with the U.S. Geological Survey estimating a 42% probability of fatalities between 10,000 and 100,000.