BarcelonaRaising the Champions League, his greatest victory, was the final end to his time at Barça. After one of the toughest seasons as a Barça player, Vicky Losada (Terrassa, 1991) decided to leave Barcelona and change her mind. Now, from Manchester, he publishes Vicky Losada, captaina biography written by journalist Andrés Corpas in which he discusses the different stages of his career and the challenges and obstacles he has overcome.
When and how do you make the decision to leave?
– My parents used to tell me what to do when they left: “You have to stay at Barça. Where do you want to go now?” I ended up having a bad time when I got home. I didn’t feel like going to training, but when it came to training no one knew because I was a barrier. For me the first one was the team and the rest of the teammates. I have always been a person who has left my problems to myself. I like football because I’ve always enjoyed it and wanted to do it again. I even felt bad because I was in the best club in the world. Why did I feel that way? There’s a moment when I tap my feet on the ground and see that it’s over. I needed to think about myself and see the things I needed. I was not happy at Barça and I had to leave. It was four or five months of reflection.
In your book, a very graphic image explains the time to pick up things from the locker. Was it one of the hardest times?
– I left in June but I had been thinking for half a year if I wanted to leave or not, because of the situation I was living in. I wanted to enjoy and in the end for me sport has always been obviously my job but also synonymous with fun. I like and am passionate about football. When I made the decision it was much easier to finish enjoying the last few months. It was weird because it reminded me of when I left in 2014 and I thought maybe one day I would come back again. It was hard because I love Barça very much.
Did the maximum requirement of the team affect you to make the decision?
– Barça is very intense. There were months when we only had one day off in a whole month. When you have no social life it is very difficult to disconnect. It was 99% mental to be able to deal with all situations. It is true that football may be one of the least practiced sports, but competing with your partner, who is also your friend, makes it difficult and demanding. It was difficult, but we got our reward.
How is this direct competition with companies?
– Over time you mature, and when you bring together a group of women who have the same goal you know that even though there are difficult situations along the way, you have the focus on the goal. If you really want it, sacrifice yourself to make it happen. In many workouts it is true that people would fight and then not talk. Not everything is as beautiful as it sounds, but we all knew the team needed it, to have that high level of performance. Since no one had any doubts about it, it was the bread of every day.
Does this DC voltage run out?
– A lot. During the year you spend a lot more time with your team than with your family. It gets to a point where you already know what people are like. There are days when some need space, they have a bad day.
Did you have to act as a captain in times of tension? How did you do it?
– Totally. He had responsibility and assumed it, and sometimes too much. It goes into my DNA and I would do it again. I ended up taking everything home with me. But it’s also true that I delegated a lot because we were five captains in communication with all the groups that were on the staff. We knew what was going on and what wasn’t.
Did you reach the limit at some point?
– What makes you not let it be is the goal: to win the Champions. We wanted to win even at the bullets, we wanted to do it every day. That’s why the milestone was reached. It is true that there were many fights and discussions, but sometimes the conflict is good. Even though there were times when we didn’t like things, we knew we had to take a deep breath and get people back on track. This is how a computer works.
You were in a bubble, with the computer. How did the people around you help you with that?
– When I saw my friends I realized how lucky she was and everything she had. The reality of my friends life is very different from mine. Sometimes it was a shock and it made me shudder, realizing I was in a privileged place. Surrounding yourself with people who have other concerns to me recharged my batteries.
You lived many moments at Barça. What does this club mean to you?
– It’s my house. I grew up there and spent many years there. When I got there it was a little girl. It’s not that I’ve only lived in the Champions League, I’ve been educated there. Obviously the last year was amazing. All I needed to do was win the Champions League and we did.
Last year we had discussions and fights in the locker room, but in the end the conflict is good. ”
Vicky Losada Former Barça captain
You have gone through all the stages that Barça have gone through in their professionalism.
– I remember a lot of people. What the club was like when I arrived and what it is now. There are people who have been following us for a long time. Johan Cruyff is the stadium for all these people and the people who have joined the project. Although Barça B also play there, it is the girls’ stadium. Unforgettable moments have been lived there. It makes me happy to see that women’s football will have its place forever in a club that is committed to the people of the house. Nobody plays the football that Barça plays.
Was the last one of your worst years at the club?
– It was very hard. When I came back from the World Cup I had an injury that destroyed me mentally when we had to be at the bottom of the canyon. The level had improved a lot and I love this competitiveness, but it is a time when I did not live up to it because of the inconvenience. When I recovered, after six months, the covid arrived and we were out of play for more months. Being a captain also means a lot. I’ve always been a person who has taken great care to make people feel comfortable. I felt the responsibility to help, and sometimes even took on things that didn’t belong to me. All of this eventually brought me to a point where I was overwhelmed.
Your great support within the team was Melanie Serrano. How did it help you carry those moments?
– It’s a legend; Melanie deserved to lift that glass more than I did. When he arrived at the club he was traveling for two hours by train to go to train at ten o’clock at night. She has been loyal to the club all her life without complaining, being in situations where I think she deserved more. He has always been an example. We need to value the people who love the club. To me she is like a sister, a person who helped me a lot in these difficult times. I always had the love of girls and in the end she was my roommate. It has always given me support and understanding with just one look.
Your role was different despite still being a captain. How is this managed?
– I was aware that in the end in football, when you are injured for more than 2 or 3 months, it is very difficult to return. They were new situations, but at no point did I take off my captain’s armband. There are always ways to help out on the field and I have always felt highly respected by my teammates and much loved. I lived it differently: with less participation.
Are you happy in Manchester again?
– Yes! The team is great. They welcomed me very well and helped me adjust. Now I understand why Pep Guardiola came here. It is a very similar club to Barça, although it is still years old. I’m enjoying it a lot, something I didn’t do before.
