Spain wants to show off its star in the storm
The women’s team spends a tough week on the field in its reunion with Sweden in the Nations League
MADRID, 21 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish team will begin this Friday in Gothenburg (6:00 p.m./La 1) and against Sweden its path towards the dream of the Paris Olympic Games with the beginning of the new League of Nations, a competition that should have been an illusion for debuting the status of world champion, but she arrives at a very difficult emotional moment after the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
More than a month after achieving the greatest success at the national team level, Spain faces a new challenge, a historic Olympic qualification, with this new Nations League that distributes two tickets for its two finalists. The national team will have to, first, dominate the group they share with two ‘old acquaintances’ like Sweden and Switzerland to get into the ‘Final Four’, where they will need to reach the final.
But the star’s premiere has been considerably clouded, practically since its embroidery on the shirt. Luis Rubiales’ kiss to Jenni Hermoso at the trophy ceremony unleashed a ‘storm’ that has once again united the footballers in defense of their partner and the need for urgent and severe changes in an RFEF that is experiencing one of its worst moments institutions for the players’ complaint against “systematic discrimination against women.”
A year ago, 15 footballers asked not to be called up because the right conditions were not met, and after the apparent ‘truce’ that there was for the World Cup, the number has risen to 39, with all the ‘heavyweights’ signing, despite the dismissal of Jorge Vilda as coach and the resignation of the already disqualified Luis Rubiales. However, Montse Tomé, the Madrid native’s replacement in office, ignored this request and summoned 14 of them.
This decision did not sit well with these soccer players who, finally, with the mediation of the CSD involved and after a long meeting in Oliva (Valencia), decided in their entirety, except for Mapi León and Patri Guijarro, to be firm in the position they already showed a year ago, staying to play these two vital games, for which they have barely prepared, and continuing the fight for change.
Tomé has only been able to do two training sessions with a team whose main question is knowing its emotional state to meet again with a Sweden, supportive of the Spanish in their demands, but who on the field will want revenge for the World Cup semi-finals. A duel between the two best in the FIFA ranking and the favorites for first place in the group and in which the world champions will surely want to talk now on the field of play.
The new coach, also at the center of the controversy and with information putting her position in doubt, will finally have 14 of the 23 world champions at her disposal, with the notable absences of the injured Salma Paralluelo, Alba Redondo and Ivana Andrés , in addition to other absences such as Laia Codina, who was the starting central defender in the decisive crosses, so the Asturian technician must choose the partner for Irene Paredes between Laia Aleixandri, one of the ’15’ group and María Méndez.
On the other hand, in the center of the field, Tere Abelleira and Aitana Bonmatí appear to be fixed, and the absence of Jenni Hermoso could give the title to Alexia Putellas, while at the top is where there may be more news with Mariona Caldentey, Eva Navarro and Athenea del Castillo competing for two positions, and with Inma Gabarro as a possible ‘9’.
Opposite, a Sweden, third in the last World Cup and number one in the ranking, which will try to take advantage of its home status and the emotional state of the world champion to return the defeat of last August 15, with the goal ‘in extremis’ by Olga Carmona just when it had reached 1-1.
The team led by Per Gerhadsson, which that day lost for the first time against Spain, has important casualties such as, above all, that of the Blaugrana Fridolina Rolfö, an indisputable in her approach, and that of Rebeka Blomqivst, author of the 1-1 in the World Cup semi-final.
DATASHEET.
–POSIBLE ALIGNMENTS.
SUECIA: Musovic, Andersson, Eriksson, Ilestedt, Bjorn; Asllani, Angeldal, Sembrant, Kaneryd, Rubensson; y Blackstenius.
SPAIN: Cata Coll; Ona Batlle, Irene Paredes, Laia Aleixandri, Olga Carmona; Aitana Bonmatí, Tere Abelleira, Alexia Putellas; Eva Navarro, Inma Gabarro and Mariona Caldentey.
–REFEREE: Rebecca Welch (ING).
— STADIUM: Gamla Ullevi.
–TIME: 18.00/11.