Manchester City and Spain midfielder Vicky Losada speaks exclusively to LiveScore about her side’s start to the season, the rise of the Women's Super League since she first arrived and her successful years at Barcelona.

Nice to meet you, Vicky. Manchester City have had a difficult start to the WSL season after losing against Aston Villa and Chelsea. How have you found it and are there reasons to be positive?

It’s been really difficult in the first two games, especially as we have so many new players and it just takes some time to get to know each other.

Gareth Taylor, the manager, is unique in the way he wants to play. I remember when I signed last year, it took me a bit of time to understand what he wants.

Against [Aston] Villa in the first game, we didn’t do well and the response we had in the second game against Chelsea was way better. We just needed to be more clinical but we are working hard on that.

There have been a lot of changes to the playing staff at Manchester City over the summer, are there any signs that you are now gelling as a squad?

There are a lot of new players so it’s going to take a bit of time.

We have a really young team and have signed players with so much talent, like Laia [Aleixandri], Leila [Ouahabi] and Mary Fowler. 

Jess Park has been doing amazing at Everton, so there is definitely a bright future at the club.

Manchester City want to play a kind of football that no one else can. We can really do something special I think, but it just takes time and we need to keep building our team.

You played for Arsenal during the 2015-16 season. How much has the WSL developed since then?

I’ve noticed a big difference in the ‘smaller’ teams. They are obviously not small but they don’t have the history in women’s football like Arsenal, Manchester City or Chelsea.

When I was here in 2015, you could see when you played those other teams that some of the girls were not professional. 

Now every single team works hard. There are athletes in every single team. The structure at clubs has changed too. There are more staff which overall just means there is more quality.

Having made a similar journey last year, what will City's summer recruits from Spain have to get used to in order to settle in England?

The biggest thing is the weather! And it’s just a different culture in Spain to here, that’s the main thing. 

Laia has come from Atletico Madrid and Leila from Barcelona.

It has changed so much. Everyone here is quicker, everyone is an athlete. 

They are taking it very seriously and the league has improved a lot. So it’s just going to take those girls time to get used to the intensity.

Does Aston Villa’s 4-3 win over you in the first game of the season show how competitive the WSL now is?

Yes, that’s exactly what we’ve been talking about. I think they knew exactly how they wanted to play, I don’t think we managed the game how we should have.

Players like Rachel Daly joining is always going to make a massive difference and make the league more competitive.

That’s the kind of game where we definitely have to look to improve, the Chelsea game was much more encouraging.

How big an impact has England's success in the summer contributed to a rise in interest in the WSL?

It’s massive. I experienced it first hand at Barcelona. We sold out the Camp Nou after we won the Champions League. We weren’t sure if that was ever going to happen.

What England have achieved here has just made a massive impact and you see stadiums selling out all the time now.

We need to make sure that keeps happening in the future.

It’s massive that Sky Sports, BBC and other media outlets are doing a lot to show women’s football to the world. 

When you have all the games on TV and people all around the country watching, it creates interest and a product that people can enjoy. 

You mentioned Barcelona's Champions League triumph in 2021. How good did it feel to lift football's biggest prize as captain with the club you supported?

It was amazing. I always said I wanted to win a Champions League wearing those colours because I’d been there for 17 years, since I was 10 years old.

Women’s football has changed a lot really quick so to be honest I never thought it would actually happen. It felt more like a dream.

It was my last year at the club and was the cherry on the cake because it was a team full of girls who have been with Barca and playing together for ages.

I always say I could have played with them with my eyes closed, because I just knew where they would be and what they were going to do.

We managed to do it and I am just so proud of the girls.

Is it true that the reason you took the No17 shirt when you joined Manchester City was to try to emulate men’s star Kevin De Bruyne?

It is true. I had a few numbers to pick. I couldn’t pick my usual No6 because that was taken. I picked No17 because it was a new adventure in my career. 

De Bruyne is an amazing footballer and as a midfielder myself, I always look towards players like him and Bernardo Silva. 

I always go to the Etihad to watch the guys and De Bruyne is just a player I relate with.

Your diet is 90% plant-based and you eat pistachios as a healthy snack. What benefits do you get from that?

Since I changed my diet I’ve noticed a big improvement, especially in my recovery. I have less inflammation. I feel like I recover quicker and I’m also helping the environment so I’m very happy.

It's a perfect snack. In football, I travel a lot so it’s a great to always be able to have with me. It tastes really nice and thanks to American Pistachio Growers I have learnt how to know myself better and make the change to a healthy life.

I would 100% recommend it. I would say all changes take a bit of time and effort, but it’s definitely been one of the best things I’ve done in my life.

You are making a positive change in the world so it’s a good thing to do. 

Vicky Losada was speaking as part of her work with American Pistachio Growers.

Vicky incorporates pistachios into her training diet to fuel her active lifestyle and to help refuel and recover before and after a match.