The dual balloon d’Or winner of Spain Aitana Bossi has joined their Euro 2025 team in Switzerland after treatment for viral meningitis, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) announced on Monday.
The 27-year-old midfielder missed the friendly victory of Spain on Japan on Friday in the last warm-up match of the Women’s World Champions before the start of Euro 2025 this week.
The Bossi of Barcelona left Hopsital on Sunday and will be unlikely in their opening match against Portugal in Bern on Thursday.
«And when we thought the day had given everything,» said RFEF on social media.
«Aitana Bonmati comes to the Spanish team in Switzerland again,» it added with photos of her and coach Montse Tome.
Title candidates Spain are also facing Belgium and Italy in group B of Euro 2025.
Menititis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.
Viral meningitis is less serious than the rarer bacterial variant, which can lead to death within 24 hours.
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«Bolmati is so important to us and we will wait for her, whatever happens, until the end,» said Spain -coach Montse Tome.
It reminds me of Alexia Putellas’ serious knee injury just before Euro 2022, where Spain lost against final winners England in the quarterfinals, although Bonmati could still play a key role for La Roja in Switzerland.
Two -time balloon d’Or winner Putellas has never been the same since then, although she says that the injury has actually helped her.
«I am a better Alexia now,» she told reporters last week.
“I know myself much better now. I know what my qualities are and what I have to work on. At the end of the day I believe that all the suffering helps you evolve as a person and as a athlete.
Two -time balloon d’Or winner Putellas has never been the same since then, although she says that the injury has actually helped her. | Photocredit: Getty images
Two -time balloon d’Or winner Putellas has never been the same since then, although she says that the injury has actually helped her. | Photocredit: Getty images
«I now know how I can manage difficult moments and how I can enjoy the good.»
With Patri Guijarro-Die the World Cup triumph of Spain from 2023, in protest was in protest as part of a long-term feud between different players and the Spanish football federation-on the basis of midfield and Putellas and Bonmati for her, the central trio are a pillar for the team.
With Barcelona this season they triomous in Liga F and the Copa de la Reina, but were generally under their best and also fell a shock destruction against Arsenal in the Champions League final.
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Renee Sleers’s team gave Spain the opposition this summer the blueprint to close the trio, but whether one of them can manage it is a different matter completely.
«They are the conductors, the motorcycle,» put the Dutch coach of Arsenal, who flooded the midfield to stop Bonmati, Putellas and Guijarro to find their rhythm.
Arsenal also re -created the movements of the trio in training and worked on how to frustrate.
‘In my mind’
After the recent disappointment of the Champions League final and its early injury in 2022, Putellas is determined to correct those errors.
«I won’t lie to you, I had this tournament in my mind after I was injured the day before the last euros,» said Putellas.
«I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve been preparing for a long time at the moment, but above all I want to enjoy it and compete to win every game.»
In a friendly against Japan, Barca-young Vicky Lopez, 18, took the place of Bonmati and scored in a 3-1 win.
Spain dominated the ball and the game, but still admitted, something of a recurring theme for them in recent months and another question mark for Tome to answer.
However, Lopez’s display offered a potential solution for the absence of Bossi in the short term.
«She is gifted by nature, a player who calls for more minutes with her working speed, which she shows on the field, asks for more playing time … We have always trusted her,» Tome said.
«Vicky was good at urgent and she managed to score a goal.»
It was Lopez’s third strike in 10 performances for Spain and a string that she worked hard on adding her bow.
Whether she is ready to get in and deliver the largest stage is unknown, but we may find out soon.
