Footballer with 11 titles makes Benfica confession: I suffered a lot | OneFootball

Leaving Benfica deeply marked Kika Nazareth’s journey, as she recalled in a recent interview with the Catalan channel Betevé. The Portuguese international, who provided an assist in the last match of the Spanish league, admitted that moving abroad was emotionally demanding, acknowledging that the adaptation process was not simple.

“It was difficult for me to adapt to Barcelona, I cried and suffered a lot, but I am a better footballer now,” she confessed, as she spoke about her first months away from Luz.

The transfer was completed on July 4, 2024, for half a million euros, closing a chapter at Benfica where she was one of the main figures in women’s football. The move also meant dealing with a new competitive status, in a squad full of internationals. “I like being in the spotlight, but I know well the team I represent and the players we have, and there are opportunities for everyone,” she explained, putting the internal demands into context.

“When I was injured, I could only think that I wasn’t able to show my worth. It was very frustrating,” she revealed, adding that the experience of watching games from the sidelines ended up being formative. “I learned a lot by watching the games from the stands,” she emphasized, expressing the frustration she felt during the periods she was sidelined due to injury.

This season, wearing the Barcelona shirt, Kika Nazareth played 19 matches: 13 in Liga F, five in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, and one in the Copa de la Reina. In the 793 minutes she was on the pitch, the athlete scored five goals and provided six assists.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.