Ballon d'Or winner Putellas back in training after long-term knee injury

Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas completed part of the training session with her Barcelona women's team mates on Monday as she continues to recover from a knee injury.

The Spain midfielder injured her knee in July before the women's European Championship.

"I'm glad to move on to the next phase of rehabilitation. I'm happy to be back training with the team," Putellas said on Monday.

"It's a matter of patience, of continuing to work progressively with the team and getting back into shape."

Putellas, a mainstay of the Barca squad, was named FIFA Women's Player of the Year after inspiring her club to a third consecutive Spanish League title in 2022 and a Champions League runners-up finish, where she ended as top scorer with 11 goals.

"It's a mental thing and it takes time (to recover) there are a lot of downs, upsets and discomfort, but from the first moment I understand that everything happens for a reason," she added.

"Now we're starting a new phase and I'm looking forward to being available, but that's up to the doctor and my knee. We'll see how it reacts."