300 not out for Bonmati and she is as important as ever for Barca
Aitana Bonmati is now eighth in Barcelona Femeni’s all time appearance list with 306 games played.
Aitana Bonmati recently racked up 300 appearances for Barcelona Femeni, quite the achievement for a 27-year-old.
Barca capped her 300th appearance with a win against Madrid CFF and she now moves to eighth on their all time appearances list.
She has now played 306 games for Barca, 271 of which have been wins, with 13 draws and 22 defeats. It’s quite the record.
She has been a virtual ever present for her childhood team since really establishing herself in 2018, after breaking into the squad in 2016.
However, from 2022 onwards she has rightly be regarded as one of if not the best players in the world due to the important a role she plays in midfield for club and country.
After Alexia Putellas’ devastating ACL injury ahead of the 2022-23 season, Bonmati was tasked with occupying a more attacking midfield role, one she looked capable of performing after netting 11 goals in the previous season and so it proved a justified move, as she hasn’t looked back.
Even with Putellas’ full return to fitness for club and country, she has taken on a slightly higher role to allow Bonmati to flourish, although it’s not like Putellas has been hampered too much either as she has certainly got back to her best this term.
What followed in terms of team and individual awards since Bonmati has pushed higher up however, has been unprecedented.
Back-to-back Champions League wins with Barca alongside a treble one season and a quadruple the next, a Nations League win and of course a maiden World Cup victory with Spain in which she played a starring role with three goals on route to the final.
She also carried Barca at times in their run to retaining their European crown last term with six goals and six assists in the competition, leading her to be named best player in the competition.
Bonmati has won consecutive Ballon d’Ors and was voted the FIFA Women’s Best Player in 2024, conveying her crucial role in collective triumphs for club and country.
This season, with injuries to the likes of Patri Guijarro and the departure of Keira Walsh, who before leaving didn’t feature much under Pere Romeu, Bonamti’s experience and quality has once again been crucial as the furthest forward in a midfield three.
She has played 28 times in all competitions for Barca, missing a handful of league games due to a small injury.
In her 18 Liga F games she has scored seven and provided four assists to help Barca to a five point lead over rivals Real Madrid.
She is on course to better her eight league goals last campaign and will be hoping to reach the 11 assists she managed last term.
Bonmati signed a new deal in September until 2028 amidst interest from Chelsea and Lyon and at 27, is only now approaching her prime, a scary thought for opposing teams.
If she as she has so far, avoids serious injury and continues to play at such a high level, she will further cement her legacy as one of the Barca greats.
And she will more than likely double that feat of 300 appearances and add countless more trophies to her already stacked collection.