Spain stars Alexia Putellas and Patri Guijarro are keen to downplay the favourites tag ahead of this weekend’s Euro 2025 final against England in Basel, insisting if the pressure is on anyone, it’s the Lionesses.
Spain won 1-0 when the teams met in the World Cup final two years ago but England go into Sunday’s showdown as the reigning European champions after lifting the trophy in 2022, when they beat La Roja in the quarterfinal.
The sides also played twice earlier this year in the UEFA Nations League, with each team winning one game each.
“They are the reigning champions,” midfielder Guijarro told reporters when asked who will be favourites at St. Jakob-Park.
“We are two great teams. I think it is fitting that both teams are in the final. It will be a beautiful, special final.
“We know many of their players from club football, but both teams will give 200% and obviously aim to win.”
Teammate Aitana Bonmatí added that “all the pressure is on England to defend their title,” while Putellas has said Lionesses coach Sarina Wiegman should be considered the favourite as she targets a personal three-peat after also winning the Euros in 2017 with the Netherlands.
“I don’t think there are favourites in a final,” Putellas said. “I have said, though, that Sarina has won two in a row, so she should be the favourite.
“But now, in a final, there are no favourites. Any small detail can make a difference. So, we have to be prepared for that and, above all, counteract their strengths and try to play our game, which we know we can do.”
1:56
Bonmatí: Winning Euro 2025 like ‘closing a cycle’
Aitana Bonmatí looks ahead to Spain’s Euro 2025 final against England in a rematch between the world and defending European champions.
Spain and England are two sides who both like to have the ball, averaging 72.1% and 60.5% possession respectively in these finals so far.
Something will have to give on Sunday, therefore, and Guijarro said Spain are prepared for whatever game plan England turn to, whether they try and keep possession or whether they try and play on the counter-attack.
“England like to have a lot of possession,” Guijarro said. “We resemble each other in that sense. But I also think we are similar in terms of our variability in counterattacks, balls behind the defence, fast players … They have that, too.
“I think what has marked them out at these Euros is their competitiveness. What they are doing is not easy at all. They have had difficult moments and yet that cool head and competitiveness they have, in my opinion, has taken them to this final. They have never given up.
“So we have worked on both [ways England could play]. We work on everything: [facing] a high press, a medium press, a low press, with four [at the back] or with five.
– Euro 2025 final preview: England vs. Spain, tactics, players, prediction
– Spain’s chance to shine: Euro 2025 offers opportunity to move past controversy
– Euro 2025: Wiegman is England’s best-ever manager. How has she done it?
“This team has matured in knowing how to read that well. I think one of the things about our style of play is knowing how to read the spaces and interpret them.”
Guijarro also singled former Barcelona teammate Keira Walsh, now of Chelsea, as England’s biggest threat.
“You already know all the good things I have to say about her,” she added. “For me, she is England’s key player, the one who gives meaning to the game when they have the ball. They like to have the ball, like us, and Keira understands football the way I do.”
