The best is yet to come from Jana Fernández 

Major injuries can inhibit players for months, even years, after the initial damage is done.

But when Jana Fernández fired home her first BWSL goal for London City Lionesses against West Ham United at the end of last month, it felt like more than a personal milestone. It was further evidence that the anterior cruciate ligament injury she suffered in 2022 no longer defines her.

After Freya Godfrey broke clear on the counter and slid a pass into the path of the overlapping Fernández, the sight of an opponent closing in might have been enough to unsettle a more cautious player.

Fernández, though, had only one thought on her mind. Throwing herself at the ball, the 24-year-old right-back connected with power and precision just as the challenge came in, giving London City the lead in a match that would eventually end level.

“I give my everything on the pitch because you never know when it’s going to be your last day,” she says, when asked about that strike. “It sounds pessimistic, but it’s true. I’m not scared any more to get hurt.”

The injury, suffered during her trophy-laden time at Barcelona, ruled her out for the rest of the 2021-22 campaign. One of the brightest young talents in Spanish football, Fernández suddenly faced the prospect of a career that had risen so quickly being checked in its stride.

“It’s the worst side of being a footballer,” she says. “Nobody is ready for it. It’s a scary moment. But now, when I reflect on it, I think it taught me many things – in football, out of football, just in life.”

Fast forward to the summer of 2025 and Fernández’s career was back on track — albeit on a path she had not expected to take.

“Moving to England was a scary moment,” says Fernández, who has been with the Spanish squad ahead of their World Cup qualifier against England at Wembley. “I’d always been at Barça. But when I got the call, it just felt like the right place, the right time.”

She also arrived amid a remarkable overhaul. Fernández was one of 17 signings made by London City last summer, with players coming in from a range of countries and football cultures. For someone used to the continuity of life at Barcelona, it made for a challenging adjustment.

“It was a bit weird,” she says. “Some of us couldn’t even communicate because we wouldn’t speak the same languages. It was a bit intense at the beginning. Obviously everybody wanted to start performing right away, but having 17 new girls and trying to make that work was difficult.

“At Barça, everybody knew each other. It was one, two, three signings every year, so it was easy for those players to adapt. Here, when everybody’s new, it was a bit messy and intense.”

Off the pitch, settling in has been easier than expected. Fernández’s English – built through school, YouTube interviews and chats with Barcelona teammates from abroad – gave her an immediate foothold. “I’m an outgoing person. I’m not shy at all,” she says, and hearing the language “24-7” has only helped her settle more quickly. London, meanwhile, has also become part of the adventure.

“Every day is like getting to know a bit more of the city,” she says. “Now the weather is a bit better, we love to walk around and discover new places.”

There have been other reassuring points of familiarity, too. Fernández has family in the area, while the capital’s growing Barcelona contingent has made the transition feel less abrupt. Keira Walsh, Lucy Bronze, Laia Codina and Mariona Caldentey have all made the move, and at London City she is also alongside fellow Barça youth product María Pérez.

Back on the pitch, the move has brought rewards collectively – with London City Lionesses occupying a creditable mid-table position in the club’s debut BWSL campaign – but perhaps even more so individually. After spending several seasons largely behind Ona Batlle at right-back for both Barcelona and Spain, she has featured in almost every league game for her new side.

“I can’t wait to be back from the national team, to be honest, because I'm loving it. It's true that it's a short season compared to when I was at Barca, where we had more like 40 games, but I’m really, really happy. I didn't expect it to be this good.

“Hopefully next season you can actually see the real London City, because I think it’s to come.”

Word credit: Paul Joseph