Mapi León will not continue at FC Barcelona. As reported by the Tot Costa program on Catalunya Ràdio and confirmed by this newspaper, the Aragonese center-back will put an end to nine seasons with the blaugrana, also being one of the undisputed starters in the heart of the defense. According to sources familiar with the operation, the defender will move to London City Lionesses, owned by Michele Kang.
Mapi, whose contract was ending on June 30, has made this decision after considering the renewal offer presented by the club, which believed that, given her age (30 years) and injury history, it should be lower than that of 2023, when she became one of the highest-paid players on the squad.
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Her arrival in Barcelona was a real revolution. The Aragonese center-back joined Barça in 2017 from Atlético de Madrid, becoming the first transfer in the history of women’s football in Spain. The blaugrana entity paid 50,000 euros to secure her services.
She will not be the only one leaving. Salma Paralluelo also has a lower renewal offer and has not yet responded. Ona Batlle has been seduced by the Premier League. Graham Hansen will renew. And then there is the case of Alexia Putellas.
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Sources familiar with the situation explain to this newspaper that there is a proposal and a plan from the club to renew her beyond the optional year she has, but the captain has not yet responded and is seriously considering her continuity. No one will say anything until the season ends, but there are already plans in case she does not continue next year.
The Aragonese center-back joined Barça in 2017 from Atlético de Madrid, becoming the first transfer in the history of women’s football in Spain
Who will definitely not be there is Mapi León. As a blaugrana, she has won 21 titles – 7 Leagues, 3 Champions, 6 Queen’s Cups, and 5 Spanish Super Cups. The Aragonese player, an emblem of Barcelonism, is one of the most beloved footballers at the club.
Mapi León, an undisputed starter alongside Irene Paredes, has the Queen’s Cup final on May 16 and the Champions final in Oslo on the 23rd against Olympique Lyon, coached by Jonatan Giráldez, former Barça coach. Precisely, the French club is part of the conglomerate of clubs owned by Michele Kang, as is London City Lionesses, her next destination.
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