Manchester City Women have signed Champions League-winning captain Vicky Losada from Barcelona.
The Spain midfielder has agreed a two-year deal with the WSL runners-up after leading her hometown club to the treble last season.
“I’m so happy,” Losada exclusively told Sky Sports. “I like the style they’re showing, it can be the most similar to Barca. I want to play in big games, the Champions League and win trophies here.”
Losada was part of the Barcelona side that knocked City out of the Champions League last season, a tie that would play a much larger part in her future than she was aware of at the time.
“I didn’t know this was going to happen but it’s true, I remember talking with the girls in the changing room and saying “this is the best team we’ve played this year”.
“In the end football is football. The girls will know me soon, I’m a very close person, I can help them with my experience and I look forward to that soon.”
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Vicky Losada says Barcelona winning the Champions League last season has had a huge impact on the outlook of the women’s game in Spain
Losada was given an emotional send-off by Barcelona when she announced she was leaving, with the entire playing staff bursting into applause at the end of her farewell press conference.
She leaves the club as an icon for all she has done both on and off the pitch.
“It was very hard, I played there for 16 years, I arrived when I was 14 years old. Winning the Champions League helped me but I’m so happy to come back to England, I’ve been missing it for years.
“There have been loads of emotions over the last two weeks but I see what happened as another door opened at Barcelona. We showed women’s football deserves the kind of goodbyes we see in men’s football. I was so happy and it was a privilege to be the first one.”
Losada is acutely aware of how her conquering Barcelona side has helped changed the image of women’s football in Spain. To her, it’s just as big an achievement as lifting the Champions League trophy.
“Barca gives you a lot of visibility, everyone knows Messi, everyone knows what Pep did at Barca. This was a huge year to change the mentality.
“Now girls play in the parks, they want to start their career young. Winning the Champions League isn’t just a trophy, we’ve made an impact for people”.
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New Manchester City signing Vicky Losada says it will be a ‘special game’ when she faces her former club Arsenal next season
Losada is now established as a Barcelona legend but she’s returning for her second WSL spell after two years at Arsenal a few seasons ago.
She was a supremely popular player during her time there, picking up the supporters’ player of the year award in 2016 to go alongside her FA Cup winners’ medal.
It’s a club she still loves but is eager to return in Manchester City colours.
“Things happen for a reason. I want to say thank you to all the Gunners. I left my country when I was very young and the love they showed me really motivated me to keep playing and never give up in women’s football when it wasn’t visible.
“It’s going to be a special game but I’m with Manchester City and I’m going to give all of my best here.”
