The striker plays with Villarreal Women’s C team and does her physiotherapy training with the women’s first team
Ana Pallarés (Vila-real, 2001) has been associated with Villarreal all her life. Having started playing football with the Submarine and having been trained at all levels of the club, Pallarés currently plays for Villarreal Women’s C team. In addition, the striker is doing her physiotherapy internship with the women’s first team.
Pallarés decided to study physiotherapy after suffering a serious injury: “Three years ago I tore my anterior cruciate ligament. This injury coincided two months before I had to take my university entrance exams and choose a career to study,” says Pallarés. This injury gave the Women’s C player food for thought, and she went from never having been injured to being a regular in the physio’s room. “I didn’t know much about anatomy or exercises. All I could think about was recovering and getting back on the pitch,” says Pallarés. After visiting Villarreal’s physiotherapists, the Yellows striker decided she wanted to study physiotherapy and is now in her third year.
On what it feels like to do the internship with the women’s first team, Pallarés said that when she was assigned to the team she felt ‘respect and a certain degree of tension’. “I’m aware that I’m dealing with professional players, and that brings a great deal of responsibility. That’s why I have to work hard and try to do my best in the physio room,” Pallarés added.
The player from Vila-real remembers her first matches with a sense of nervousness. “Seeing the stands with so many people and knowing that the match is going to be broadcasted live is something that is impressive,” confesses Pallarés. However, having the opportunity to be in a Primera División team is something that excites Pallarés, even more so when she has seen the club’s entire journey to the top flight.
On the experience of being in a top-flight dressing room, Pallarés says that the atmosphere is very warm and from day one she felt like one of the players: “My first few days of being around training with the women’s first team I felt motivated, but a bit shy. But the players have a character, a way of being, and in just a few days, they made me feel like part of the team, and that’s something I’m grateful for.” The atmosphere in the first team’s physio room is a mixture of good vibes, trust and familiarity. The physio of the women’s first team now knows them really well, knows how to treat each player and has earned the trust of them all.
While she combines her internship, Pallarés also competes with her team, Villarreal Women C. “This year we feel much more comfortable in the competition and we are settled in the middle of the table, but despite this, we are ambitious, we want to continue competing every game and finish the season in the top positions,” says the Villarreal formed player after remembering that last season the team had to fight to maintain its place in the Lliga À Punt Valenta.
Pallarés, who is one of the top scorers of her team, considers that the team has a high standard: “There is a squad with young players, with future projection and desire and a vision of being able to compete in our first team, in the First Division”.
A life in yellow
A month ago, Pallarés was present at Villarreal’s tribute to the players who have been with the club for ten years, being one of those honoured. “At Villarreal, not only do they train great footballers, but they also train people with values,” said the striker. The forward recalls her first season at the club: “They brought the whole team together and gave us a talk about what it means to be part of a team.” Ten years after her arrival, Pallarés confesses that they continue to give these types of training talks to bring the group together.
