On Thursday afternoon, it was reported that Alexia Putellas, who spent 14 years at FC Barcelona and won two Ballon d’Or awards, would be joining 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 reportedly prioritized a team in the English top division to stay 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. The news broke while Putellas was in Venezuela for a charity event. On her Instagram stories, Putellas confirmed she was safe following the earthquakes that occurred overnight.
“Hello everyone. Following the earthquakes that occurred yesterday in Venezuela, I want to let you know that my family and I are safe in Caracas. Thank you for your messages. I wish much strength to all Venezuelans and all affected families facing 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 the EFE agency. From there, she is expected to fly directly to London to be presented as the new WSL player.
Caracas is located near the epicenter where the two earthquakes struck 38 seconds apart, causing damage and collapse to several buildings. The current death toll stands at 164, with nearly 1,000 injured, but fears remain that the toll could be much higher. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates a 42% probability of fatalities ranging between 10,000 and 100,000.