Barcelona Recalls Young Polish Defender Emilia Szymczak from Liverpool Loan

FC Barcelona has recalled 19-year-old Polish international defender Emilia Szymczak from her season-long loan at Liverpool FC Women, cutting short her stint at the Merseyside club.[1][2][3]

Szymczak joined Liverpool last September 2025 on an initial loan from Barcelona, aiming to gain top-level experience. Since signing with Barcelona in 2023, she had primarily featured for their B team, contributing to the Spanish Primera Federación title in the 2023/2024 season, with occasional senior appearances in the Copa Catalunya and pre-season games.[2][3]

During her time with the Reds, the young defender made just one appearance—a substitute cameo against Sheffield United in the group stage of the Subway Women’s League Cup—before her progress was halted.[1][2][3] In December 2025, Szymczak suffered a shoulder injury while on international duty with Poland, necessitating surgery. This injury prompted her early return to Barcelona for rehabilitation, with hopes of breaking into the parent club's first team upon recovery.[1][3]

Liverpool FC Women issued an official statement confirming the conclusion of her loan: “Emilia Szymczak’s loan spell with Liverpool FC Women has concluded. The defender linked up with the Reds last September on an initial season-long basis from FC Barcelona. Szymczak, who made one appearance during the first half of the campaign, has now been recalled to her parent club after suffering a shoulder injury, which required surgery, while on international duty with Poland in December. Everyone at LFC Women wishes Emilia the best of luck for the future.”[1][2]

The recall comes at a challenging time for Liverpool, who face defensive depth issues ahead of their Adobe Women’s FA Cup fourth-round match against London Bees on January 18, 2026. Manager Matt Beard must now address this gap as the team pushes forward in multiple competitions.[3]

Szymczak's journey began at Polish club Górnik Łęczna before Barcelona acquired her talent. Her brief Liverpool spell underscores the setbacks young players face, but her return offers a chance to rebuild at a world-class club.[3]

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