As Keira Walsh, the England and Barcelona midfielder, sits down to talk to the international media for the first time since her world-record move to Catalunya, it takes a while until she gets a question about Alexia Putellas.
Had she had the chance to play with the 2021 and 2022 Ballon d’Or winner, it probably would’ve come sooner, but Putellas remains sidelined with a devastating ACL injury.
Nonetheless, when Walsh – the second England star to join Barca this summer, after Lucy Bronze – is asked about Putellas, the response produces a giggle from all listening in.
“I think she told Lucy that she doesn't really understand what I'm saying a lot of the time!” she laughs. “Honestly, I think my Manchester accent has probably been the biggest challenge.”
It’s telling of the talent of this midfield maestro that she has found communicating and reducing her use of slang words the toughest part of settling into one of the best teams in the world.
Between winning a home Euros in front of a sold-out Wembley crowd and sealing a record-breaking transfer to a team that has reached three of the last four Women’s Champions League finals – it’s been quite a crazy few months for Walsh.
On Thursday, she will add another big moment to her 2022 when she plays at Camp Nou for the first time, in Barca’s UWCL fixture against Bayern Munich. Walsh remembers seeing the viral videos of Putellas banging the drum with the fans when the team played there last year and couldn’t be more excited to experience it herself.
There is another element to it for her, too. Playing for the visitors will be Georgia Stanway, her England team-mate, a long-time Manchester City team-mate and, even before that, a Blackburn Rovers team-mate.
“You know what, I don't think I've ever played against her,” she says. “Obviously, you do in training but it's not the same, is it? She's a great player and we know a lot about each other.
“We've both moved clubs and we both wanted to play in the Champions League. I'm looking forward to meeting her and, obviously, playing at Camp Nou against her, it's going to be a special occasion.”
Stanway has settled nicely in her new environment, her dramatic brace in the group-stage comeback win over Benfica last month certainly helping to endear her to fans in Munich. Accent aside, Walsh has, too.
“In terms of the way we play, it's similar but it's not similar,” she says, comparing her deep-lying midfield role at Barca to how it was with Man City during her eight years there.
“Obviously, a lot of the play goes through the No.6 here and it was the same in Manchester. But here, there's a lot more freedom and a lot more rotations and putting an emphasis on the fact that it's not just necessarily one person playing in the pivot.
“It was a little bit difficult at first, constantly being on the move and the intensity at which you need to show for the ball. It is different from what I'm used to.
Getty/GOAL“But I think Patri [Guijarro] is probably the best in the world at it, so I've had a pretty good teacher in terms of having to learn from her and, obviously, Ingrid [Engen] as well.
“There were definitely times where I thought, 'Oh, I need to step up my level a little bit'. I think it's only natural coming to a club like this. It is such a special club and people talk about football, but when you are here and you are embracing it, it feels more like a culture.
“I'm feeling really settled now so, hopefully, the Barca fans can see the best of me.”
Part of that is down to how welcome the players and staff at the club have made the 25-year-old feel, with her undoubted quality also helping her to fit into a midfield that includes two more world-class talents in Guijarro and Aitana Bonmati – who, like Walsh, perhaps don’t get the recognition they deserve.
“I've played against Patri from the age of 14 or 15 and she was always the best player then, so, for me, I wasn't surprised [at her quality],” Walsh says. “I think at the Euros, Aitana was brilliant. I played against her and it wasn't the easiest job to mark her. I definitely prefer playing with her!
“But Patri, definitely, I think if you're talking about the world's best midfielders, she's up there - and I probably don't think she gets enough credit. If you're looking at the Ballon d'Or and the voting, I think she should definitely be in there.
Getty/GOAL“Training with her every day, she does things that I don't see many players doing and she sees passes that - I'm standing next to her and I don't even have any pressure and I can't see the pass that she's playing!”
Putellas will come further down the line, too, with Walsh already sensing what she means to Barca.
“You can see the importance of her to this team, even when she's in and around the gym or when we come into the physio room in the morning,” she explains. “She kind of has this presence and you can see how much the team respects her.”
The Ballon d’Or winner netted 34 goals in all competitions last term, from midfield. Bonmati got 18 and even Guijarro, often the most reserved of the three, got four. Walsh talks about having more “freedom”, so will we see her near the top of those scoring charts with some of her fellow midfielders?
“No, I think everyone would be pretty surprised if that happened!” she laughs as GOAL jokes about a possible Golden Boot. “I think just scoring one goal soon would be nice.
“I think because Barca keep the ball so well, everybody knows how much possession they have, it allows players to be a little bit more free. I'm looking forward to it and I'm enjoying that freedom. Hopefully a few goals will be nice - but I think Golden Boot will be beyond the horizons!”
Maybe just one at Camp Nou, then. That would be a good way to start.