Back to us | Alexia Putellas

Progressing.

"I'm coming with you, just let me grab my coat" I called out to Ale as she headed towards the front door, her training bag flung over her shoulder and her hair tied back in her signature ponytail.

"You really don't need to, it's not a big deal... I've been running on a treadmill for weeks, I'm just doing it on the grass today" She brushed me off as she tried to head out of the front door as quickly as she could.

"It's a huge deal, you're getting back on the pitch today and I want to be there" I said, reaching for her hand and stopping her from leaving without me.

"I'm not allowed to kick a ball though" She mumbled

Ale had been like this all morning, to her this step in her rehab was just another reminder of what she wasn't able to do rather than an achievement to be proud of. She was getting back on the pitch today, lacing her boots up for the first time in months, but the only thing that she could focus on was that she wasn't allowed to touch a football yet.

"You're sulking!"

"I'm not" she huffed, avoiding making eye contact with me as she stood in the doorway, her hand still in mine.

"You so are!" I teased, knowing that laughter was one of the only ways to get her out of these moods.

"I should be kicking a ball by now, it's been 7 months... I thought I'd be back playing by the time the baby came, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen" she admitted, her eyes meeting mine finally as she squeezed my hand.

"We've still got a couple of months to go, there's still time" I tried to reassure her.

"It's not going to happen"

"Maybe not, but do you know what that means? The baby will get to watch their mama's first game back and I think that would be pretty special, just picture it... your wife and baby up in the stands as you step back onto the pitch for the first time." I tried to cheer her up, moving her hand onto my bump and placing mine on top of it, focusing her attention on something good rather than all the negatives floating around in her head.

"Ok, that does sound pretty perfect" She spoke softly, rubbing her thumb back and forth on my stomach.

"It does, doesn't it?" I smiled, rising onto my tip-toes and placing a soft kiss onto her lips.
"Now, let's go and run on some grass shall we?"

We drove to the training ground together for the first time in weeks, and it felt just like it did before the injury and the pregnancy, Ale's hand rested on my thigh like it always did as we listened to our favourite playlist. The only thing that was different was that Ale drove straight past the fans that were waiting at the entrance, normally she would stop and sign their shirts, but not anymore, not when I was with her at least. She wanted to protect me and the baby, and the fans that waited around all day for a chance to meet the players could be pretty full on sometimes.

Ale and I held hands as we walked into the locker room, I could tell that she was getting more nervous as the time of her session grew closer, although she kept saying it wasn't a big deal for her, it was for her knee, it might not react the way that she and the physios wanted it to and I think that is what was worrying her. It's a step forward that could ultimately set her back even further.

The room was busy when we walked in, training had just finished for the rest of the team so it was slowly filling with our teammates as they came in from the pitch. Mapi was the first one to greet us, saying hi to Ale before she noticed that I was by her side.

"Isy!" She squealed excitedly, quickly making her way towards me before pulling me into a hug

"Oh my god, you're huge!" She laughed as she pulled away, looking down at my ever-growing bump.

"You don't say that to a pregnant woman, Maria!" Ingrid scolded her girlfriend as she and some of the other girls entered the room.

"I mean... you're glowing! How are you feeling?" She corrected herself, smirking at me slightly.

"I'm great... It's a big day! Ale's getting back out on the grass today" I smiled at my wife.

"She is?! Ale, why didn't you say anything? That's huge!" Mapi turned her attention to Ale who was pulling her boots onto her feet for the first time since the injury

"I didn't want to make a big deal out of it" She mumbled, focusing on tying her boots perfectly, adjusting the laces for the third time.

"I'm meeting Luisa on the pitch in five, are you coming?" She turned her focus to me, her eyes telling me that she wanted to get away from all of the attention that was being thrown upon her.

"I'll be right behind you"

Although Ale had tried to play down the importance of this step, it was obvious how excited she was about being back on the grass when we arrived home. The smile hadn't left her face since she took that first step, she had done a short session of running back and forth in straight lines, getting used to the movements after so long away and the best thing about it all was that her knee hadn't flared up at all, according to Ale it felt better than ever.

"Ok, maybe you were right... it was a pretty big deal" She turned to me as we walked through the front door a couple of hours later.

"Sorry, say that again?"

"Which part?" She smirked, walking towards me, before placing her hands on my hips and pulling me close.

"The part where you said that I was right"

"I said maybe you were right..."

"Maybe you won't get your gift then"

"What is it?" Ale asked excitedly.

"No, too late! You don't get it now!" I smirked, pretending to pull out of her arms.

"Okay- you were right! You are always right" Ale laughed, holding my face in her hands and peppering my face with little pecks.

"Do I get my gift now... pleaseeee" She begged, sarcastically pouting her bottom lip.

"Stay here"

I walked towards the cupboard under the stairs where I had hidden the gift that I was saving for today, pulling it out before heading back to Ale.

"I thought that you were going to be naked" she laughed as I re-emerged into the hall.

"This is even better, trust me" I smiled as I walked towards her.

" I don't know about that..." she smirked, before noticing the Barca gift bag in my hand.
"I think I've probably got enough Barcelona merchandise cariño" she laughed.

"Not like this you haven't"

Ale quickly opened the bag, pulling out the tiny item of clothing by the hanger and holding it up in front of her.

"Oh my god, it's so tiny!" She said excitedly as she looked at the baby Barcelona kit that I had ordered a couple of weeks ago.

"Turn it around"

She turned it around so that the back was facing her, to see that Mama and 11 had been printed on the back.
"I love it" she smiled widely, tears welling up in her eyes as she held it to her chest

"I can't wait to have you two in the crowd, and if I'm not back by the time they are born... maybe it's not such a bad thing after all"