control - Alexia Putellas

2.4.

i don't like the fact that i wrote this chapter before the president decided to kiss Jenni, but at least i could delete his name. let's hope he'll get sacked tomorrow ☕️✍🏼

And before they realized it, everything was set in motion, just like clockwork.

In merely a few days, Ria Thomas had delivered the signed papers to the president of the Real Federación Española de Fútbol and within hours, the 45-year-old man had arranged everything that followed.

Their destination was Barcelona.

The agenda was stringent, the plan simple. Straightforward.

The task at hand was monumental. Spain needed to be rejuvenated - its esteemed reputation in creative football, the persuasive combination play, and the camaraderie within the national team - all needed restoration.

And, even more important than many other points on a never-ending list of tasks, it was necessary to convince the players who had resigned from the team to become part of the Spanish squad after their resignation, a decision based on Alexia's words, her powerful statement during the interview following the World Cup defeat against Switzerland.

A major mission awaited her.

A mission Ria Thomas was poised to confront head-on.

Back home in England, news of her resignation from Manchester United, right before the start of the new WSL season, created a stir and garnered criticism.

But Ria's career took precedence. The chance to guide a team to greatness, to mold exceptional athletes into an indomitable unit, into a world-class team, was simply too irresistible to disregard.

She couldn't let that chance pass.

And there they were, two Englishwomen hailing from Manchester, arriving at the Barcelona training ground via cab. They were welcomed by the President of the Real Federación Española de Fútbol.

Proud of his signing, the mid-aged man had welcomed Ria and escorted the brunette into one of the meeting rooms in FC Barcelona Feminino's modern training facility, while Erin toured the familiar grounds.

Nervousness gripped Erin as she navigated the hallway, her cold hands sweaty and trembling. On her way, she passed team photos and pictures of club legends - including the one of Alexia she had admired so often during her time with the national team under Jorge Vilda.

The fear of facing her, the possibility of encountering the captivating brunette today, had her heart skip a beat, and shatter at the same time.

Erin was lost in her thoughts as she headed towards the training grounds, a backpack slung over her shoulder, when all of a sudden, a higher pitched voice called out from behind her, "Hermana!!!"

Martha.

The familiar therapist, a longtime employee of FC Barcelona, had spotted Erin and rushed over, nearly knocking the blonde off her feet as she embraced her enthusiastically.

"Hi, Martha", Erin chuckles uncertainly, adjusting her white blouse as she pulls back, while the black-haired's grin expressed her delight at seeing the therapist again.

"What are you doing here, hermana?", questions Martha, surprised by Erin's unexpected appearance, reaches for the blondes wrist, dragging her towards the pitch, "And I thought you were going to disappear without saying goodbye. That really hurt. By the way, why are you all dressed up?"

Erin shook her head with a smile, falling in step with Martha as another person, behind them, entered the building.

At the other end of the hallway, Alexia stepped into the modern training facility, wearing headphones and a Nike workout jacket, heading to the locker room.