Aitana Bonmatí explains why she's still out: "All the tests are perfect, but the pain limits you"

It still hurts. That's the plain reason why Aitana Bonmatí hasn't set foot on the field so far this season. The Barcelona midfielder, who broke her leg last season, admitted in an interview with ESPN that the medical tests say everything is fine, but her body keeps telling a different story.

"In terms of all the tests and scans, everything is perfect, but there are things that are uncontrollable, like pain, right? It limits you," explained the 28 year old during the presentation of her new role as a Gatorade ambassador.

Bonmatí returned to play last May after five months out, making seven appearances for Barça in the final stretch of the campaign, including coming off the bench in the Champions League final against Lyon. She was also called up twice with the Spanish national team over the summer, for matches against England and Iceland. But as the new season got underway, she decided to step back to protect her long term career.

"I was tired of living with pain, not just when playing and training, but in my day to day life. So I made the decision together with the club to follow an individual plan at the start of this season to come back as soon as possible, but above all, without pain," she said. And she was honest about what lies ahead: "I don't know if I'll come back 100% pain free, I don't know if that's possible, but that's what we're working toward."

Some might think all this caution is about the biggest date on the calendar: next summer's World Cup in Brazil, where Spain will defend its title. Bonmatí flatly denies it.

I'm not doing this because of the World Cup. It's very important to me and to the team, but the precautions I'm taking are to make sure I have a long career and can play the rest of my career in the best way possible and without pain.Aitana Bonmatí

There's no set date for her return, though the player herself has circled two dates at Spotify Camp Nou: the Clásico against Real Madrid on October 4 and the Champions League clash with Arsenal on November 11. "I hope to be back before the Arsenal match. Playing Champions League games at Camp Nou is always special," she said. She was more cautious about the Clásico: "Never say never. I hope to be back by then and available for that match. I don't have a return date, I can be honest about that, but it's not far off."

A Barça beginning its Champions League defense with a different look

Barcelona kicks off its defense of the European title this week when it hosts Paris FC on Wednesday. The Catalan club has reached the final in each of the last six seasons and has lifted the trophy four times, but Bonmatí wanted to tone down that apparent ease: "It might look easy for Barça, I think we've made it look that way, but that's not the reality," she said. "The level gets higher every year, but honestly, I'm not worried about the other teams. I think we have a squad to fight for every trophy, with a lot of talented young players." She also made clear she respects the competition: "We've made good signings and the core of the team is very good, but there are other teams that deserve respect. Arsenal has a great squad, so do Lyon and Chelsea."

The midfielder's confidence contrasts with the uncertainty surrounding this Barça squad following the summer departures of Alexia Putellas, Mapi León and Salma Paralluelo. In their place came names like Kerolin, Renee van Asten and Martina Fernández, while several homegrown youngsters are starting to gain prominence on a team with a different look.

"It didn't surprise me, because it's natural for there to be changes in soccer," Bonmatí said of those major departures. "It's hard to keep the same squad for many years. In the end, everyone has their reasons and you have to respect them. This team was also criticized last year and we got through it all and won the Champions League anyway. It's the same battle every year. There will always be changes, it's the law of soccer."

And she closed with a thought that sounds almost like a manifesto: "For me, this year is a great opportunity. There are a lot of changes, but it's a huge opportunity for this team. I don't know if we're favorites in the Champions League or not, but I think other teams have a certain respect for us because this team, despite the changes, doesn't change our philosophy, our style or our ambition."