Key events
Euro 2025: Portugal The Navigators are hopeful of reaching the knockout stage for the first time but recent form has tempered expectations. Words: Nuno Travossos.
Euro 2025 team guide: Spain The world champions’ squad contains two double Ballon d’Or winners and a place in the final is the minimum requirement, writes Amalia Fra.
Spain v Portugal line-ups
Spain: Nanclares, Batlle, Mendez, Aleixandri, Carmona, Lopez, Guijarro, Putellas, Caldentey, Gonzalez, Pina.
Subs: Sullastres, Coll, Fernandez, Bonmati, del Castillo, Ouahabi, Martin-Prieto, Garcia, Paralluelo, Redondo, Zubieta.
Portugal: Pereira, Gomes, Costa, Fatima Pinto, Fonseca, Jacinto, Norton, Tatiana Pinto, Amado, Diana Silva, Jessica Silva.
Subs: Morais, Cota-Yarde, Alves, Seica, Marchao, Nazareth, Borges, Dolores Silva, Faria, Correira, Capeta, Encarnacao.
Elsewhere in Group B: Arianna Caruso scored the only goal of the game as Italy beat Belgium at the Stade de Tourbillon in Sion in today’s early kick-off. The Bayern Munich midfielder’s curled effort from distance in the first half was enough to send Italy top of the group after one game and leave Belgium in trouble already in what is expected to be a three-way battle for second place behind Spain.
Early team news: Spain’s two-time Ballon D’Or winner Aitana Bonmati rejoined her teammates after being released from hospital after receiving treatment for viral meningitis and while she is harbouring hopes of playing in this tournament, her health must come first and it seems unlikely but not out of the question that she will feature tonight.
“With Aitana back, the entire group is now at their base camp in Lausanne, ready to take on the European dream,” said the Spanish Football Federation following her release from hospital. In her absence this evening, Vicky Lopez is expected to start in midfield alongside Alexia Putellas and Patri Guijarro. Spain are without Real Madrid midfielder Tere Abelleira and Arsenal defender Laia Codina, who are absent from this tournament through injury, while veterans Jenni Hermoso and Ivana Andrés were not picked for the squad.
Carolina Mendes will be a conspicuous abentee for Portugal, having been ruled out of the tournament through injury. Barcelona midfielder Kika Nazareth has been included in Portugal’s squad despite only returning to training last month after being sidelined with an ankle injury since March. There are also concerns over the fitness of Benfica left-back Lúcia Alves and Gotham winger Jéssica Silva. Everton goalkeeper Ines Pereira is the sole WSL representative in the Portugal squad.
Group B: Spain v Portugal
On a truly devastating day for Portuguese football, it is difficult to imagine what must be going through the minds of the players representing the nation’s women’s team as they prepare to face Spain in Bern this evening. The car accident in which Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, also a footballer, is one of those tragedies that has hit everyone hard, which means an already difficult assignment for Francisco Neto and his Portuguese players has been rendered immeasurably tougher. We wish each and every one of them well.
A universally popular and admired player who was renowned for his skill, tenacity, humility and cheerful disposition, Jota’s death has prompted an understandable outpouring of shock and sadness throughout and beyond the football family. The players of Spain will also be struggling to process the sadness many of us are feeling at the awful news that a son, a father of three, a brother, a new husband and a very fine footballer has been lost. The weather forecast in Switzerland’s capital city tonight is for bright sunshine but this morning’s news about Diogo and André means this match will be played under a very dark cloud.
There will, of course, be a tribute to both brothers ahead of tonight’s match between these Iberian neighbours. “Uefa announces that a moment of silence will be observed at all of today’s and tomorrow’s Women’s Euro 2025 matches in memory of Portugal international and Liverpool FC forward Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva who tragically passed away today,” said European football’s governing body earlier today. May they rest in peace.
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