Lhe Spanish team continues to spend its first week of concentration in Madrid between training sessions, publicity events and attention to the press. The coach Jorge Vilda and the players Irene Paredes, Alexia Putellas and Patri Guijarro were protagonists this Wednesday of the Europa Press Breakfasts, where they spoke at length about the European Championship which starts on July 6 (Spain will debut two days later).
“Things have changed a lot since the World Cup. We get the feeling of being able to look any team in the face. We won the first game in a World Cup, in the round of 16 we played against the United States and if we made it very difficult. Since then, a lot of very good. Increase in the level of the players, a Federation devoted to the players along with professionalization and all that sum is a great level that we have right now. We are going to the European Championship with a great team and with players who are preparing to give war “, beginning Vilda, who assessed Jenni Hermoso’s last minute injury. “It is the bitterest side of the sport. He comes with an injury that the deadlines do not allow him to reach. Much to everyone’s regret, because we know how important it is, he has had to leave concentration and call another partner. We have to go with 23 players who can perform at their best. I’m sure she’ll get out of this setback and soon she’ll play again and have options in the national team again,” he stressed. “Every day I have it more difficult (make a call) and he makes me happy,” he stressed.
take pressure off the group
On the pressure, the coach stressed that the expectations from the press are unreal. “It’s something I’ve felt throughout the year. I said it because it’s reality. Excessive demands are being placed on a team and players who still have to meet milestones. We haven’t won the European Championship and the World Cup and it’s already being demanded. For that there is the coach, to be realistic. They have never beaten Germany, for example. Let the pressure be on me, we are going to let the team play. We have the willpower to do something great, but give us our time. Trust in these players is maximum”, valued the technician.
Alexia spoke of the illusion generated by the European Championship and the path towards it. “I arrive with enormous hope. The first day they gave us a power point of all the new tools that we are going to have and that gives you a firecracker of motivation. We’re going with a lot of desire, ambition, feet on the ground, it’s going to be very complicated, but we’re getting ready and we want to get to the first game against Finland to go for them”, he pointed out. “It’s the only thing we have in head. During the season as a footballer he was a medium-term goal. Two years are coming, three, very exciting with the national team”, he highlighted.
Irene spoke about how positive it is that the team has a Barça DNA seasoned with other players. “It is very positive. During the year we have six FIFA dates and the time is very tight to prepare things well. That many Barça players come means that we have worked on many things on a day-to-day basis and we know each other perfectly. Football is automatic In addition, a human group with Barça DNA is brought together, but on top of that it improves with the rest of the players, each one contributing their best virtues so that the team is outstanding,” he said. “We coordinate very well, we understand each other very well and it is positive for the national team, which continue to be punctual moments throughout the year,” Guijarro stressed.
On the list of applicants
Regarding the physical plane and having to measure up to the great powers, Paredes spoke of playing one on one. “Luckily the League has changed a lot. When I left the French League it was more powerful and I went to try it, but in those five years the Spanish League has evolved a lot. I’m still not one of the fastest [Risas]. Women are better prepared, before we suffered because before there was no more. Now the one that is worthless does not have the opportunity. The brutal change that continues, we have nothing to envy to any League in the world and that is reflected in the selection. Before measuring France or Germany was pffffNow we look at them face to face. We soccer players are athletes and you can see it every weekend”, highlighted the captain. “It was a matter of time. These are countries that have been working for a long time and ours has been something express. The top teams are the ones that score and we have already reached that level. We can compete against anyone, but it has taken time. We needed time. There is a lot of work, gym, field, better coaches,” Alexia stressed.
Speaking of favourites, Jorge once again pulled classics. “I’m not much into statistics nor do I pay much attention to GPS, I’m more guided by what I see. In terms of expectations, what I feel is that we are applicants, but that there are teams that due to background or history are more favorites than us. Germany will arrive with a very strong team, France will arrive with the best team ever, both individual and combined, the Netherlands is the current champion, Sweden is runner-up in the Olympics and very difficult to win, all the teams have a very high level.
historic agreement
There was also time to assess the agreement between RFEF and players on the economic conditions that are equalized between teams. “It is a historic agreement, not only because of the amounts that we want to be better, but also because of the way of closing the agreement. It has been months of very tough negotiations and we wanted to reach an agreement that encompasses many things and we have achieved it. Having it closed before a competition like a European Championship gives you the peace of mind to focus on football”, resolved Irene Paredes.
“The players made us see that it was not an economic issue but one of dignity. We had to do an exercise to recognize our mistakes (she spoke of a trip) and see how far we could go. A climate of trust was created that allowed us to close the agreement” , pointed Luis Rubiales, president of the RFEF, who agreed to the podium to talk about the subject. “The agreement consists of equating what boys and girls receive in percentage terms. International organizations do not allocate the same amount for men’s football as women’s and that is why a corrective factor has been introduced so that they can have higher incomes. It is a very good agreement, it has come about in a climate of tough negotiations. The numbers are fantastic for them and for us too”, he underlined.
Regarding the role of Spain in the European Championship, everyone agrees that the only aspiration is to give everything and do a good job. “We have to be clear that I have never beaten you and we have evolved in recent years. We are going to compete with the best in Europe and anyone can surprise us. It is nice that expectations are generated, but it does not depend only on us. We are going to focus on what we can do and give our best version because we will have more chances to go further. I trust the team a lot at the level of the game, but above all at the human level, which sometimes counts more in these competitions”, sentenced Irene.
