Almost two months before the Paris Olympic Games begin, the first in history for the Spanish women’s team, Montse Tomé, the coach, gave this Wednesday a continuous list – without major news – for the two qualifying matches against Denmark for Next year’s Euro Cup. In what is probably the last call-up before the Olympic event – it begins on July 26 and La Roja has two qualifying matches for the Euro on the 12th and 16th of that same month – Tomé has recovered Jana Fernández, the young defender (22 years old) from Barcelona who has overcome his serious knee injury, and Sevilla forward Inma Gabarro (21 years old), and has left out Esther González, the veteran attacker of NJ/NY Gotham FC. Two fundamental players also return, Cata Coll and Aitana Bonmatí, who were not in the previous concentration due to physical problems.
The complete list is made up of the following players: in goal, Cata Coll (Barça), Misa Rodríguez (Real Madrid) and Elene Lete (Real Sociedad); in defense, Ona Batlle (Barça), Oihane Hernández (Real Madrid), Irene Paredes (Barça), Laia Aleixandri (Manchester City), Laia Codina (Arsenal), Olga Carmona (Real Madrid), María Méndez (Levante) and Jana Fernández (Barça); in the middle, Tere Abelleira (Real Madrid), Vicky López (Barça), Aitana Bonmatí (Barça), Alexia Putellas (Barça), Maite Oroz (Real Madrid) and Jenni Hermoso (Tigres); and as forwards, Eva Navarro (Atlético), Athenea del Castillo (Real Madrid), Inma Gabarro (Sevilla), Lucía García (Manchester United), Mariona Caldentey (Barcelona), Alba Redondo (Levante) and Salma Paralluelo (Barça).
The last list before the Games does not include Barça players Patri Guijarro —one of the best midfielders in the world—, Mapi León —one of the most senior centre-backs and about to recover from her injury—, and Claudia Pina —the talented 22-year-old midfielder who has had a fabulous season with the Barça club—. The three were part of the group of 15 that resigned from going to the national team in September 2022 after protesting against the methodology of the previous coach, Jorge Vilda. Some of the soccer players who rebelled against Vilda backed down and showed themselves eligible before last summer’s World Cup won by Spain, but they did not take that step. When Vilda was fired after the World Cup, Tomé mentioned Mapi and Guijarro in a call, but the two decided not to participate in the matches considering that it was not the appropriate way to return to La Roja. Nor is Ivana Andrés on today’s list, the Real Madrid center back who was a world champion and who has been called up for several times without being called up.
Asked this afternoon about the conversations with Guijarro for his possible return, Tomé stated: “What the management conveys to me, who are the ones doing the work, is the same, and there, officially, we still have the same information.” . She then left the door open for her and others who have not been with the national team in recent months to be part of the squad for the Games, which will be much smaller, with only 18 players – there are 24 in this one –: “It can be There are footballers on that list who have not been there (before). Here we value performance, and we value what they give us to win.”
The Danish team has the same six points as Spain, both with two wins in two games. It is the strongest rival in the group – the others are Belgium and the Czech Republic -, ranked thirteenth in the ranking FIFA of national teams (Spain is first). The matches, in which if La Roja wins they will close the qualification for the tournament, will be played on May 31 in Vejle and on June 4 at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. “In this concentration we have the clear objective of qualifying for the European Championship, and if we get the two victories, we will be there. The Games are there and in the staff We work with a short, medium and long-term vision, but we focus the footballers on today, which is where we must achieve maximum performance,” said Tomé.
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