Midfielder Alexia Putellas will not be able to play in the European football championships. Urheilu’s experts Maija Saari and Jonne Kunnas still believe in the success of the early favorite.
Riku Porvari,
Samu Saatsi,
Hinn Hirvonen
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Spain’s star player Alexia Putellas was injured in training on Tuesday and will not be able to play in the European football tournament.
The knee injury of Putellas, who was recently voted the best female soccer player in the world by the International Football Association Fifa, is a huge setback for Spain’s championship aspirations.
On Friday, Spain will face Finland in its European Championship opening match. The information had reached the Helmare players on Monday as well as others waiting for the games.
Finland’s captain and the goalkeeper of Tottenham in the English Super League Tinja-Riikka Korpela tells Urheilu that the team is not focused on the injury of “La Roja’s” key player.
– We haven’t discussed their absences terribly. They have such a wide circle of skilled players. Of course Putellas is the best player in the world, but we haven’t focused much on Spain’s absences. The situation also came so quickly that we haven’t even delved into it, says Korpela.
However, the absence of Putellas is a certain help for Finland in the opening match.
– At least it doesn’t reduce our chances, Korpela admits.
– I can only imagine if such a disgusting injury happened to me in this place. That would be awful. Then again, from our point of view, we felt even more that now we can really surprise them.
Sports experts Maija Saari and Jonne Kunnas evaluate how the absence of the midfield maestro affects one of the early favorites. They agree that even though the knock is hard, Spain’s game is still going.
– Under no circumstances would I make the mistake of excluding Spain from the championship favorites, says Kunnas.
Spain’s game has gone through Putellas
Helmets Nora Heroum and Emmi Alanen were also sorry for Putellas.
– I felt sorry for him. All the healings to him, as a player I understand how difficult it is to be out of the Games due to such a severe injury, Heroum, who represents the Italian SS Lazio at the club team level, thinks.
– It’s really unfortunate, you wouldn’t wish that on anyone, says Damallsvenskan’s Kristianstads DFF striker Alanen.
– I personally don’t think that his absence will affect Spain’s playing that much. It may be seen as a certain lack of leadership in the team, Alanen continues.
In addition to his experience, Putellas has been a powerful player in both the national team and his club team. In the finished league season, Putellas collected 18 goals and 15 assists in 26 matches for FC Barcelona. In the colors of Spain, he has, above all, built the game.
Expert Saari reminds that Putellas has played in all Spain’s matches since the beginning of 2020.
– However, Putellas is the leader and engine of the game in his team. He is a big figure within the team. His injury is a huge loss, which in a way is highlighted by the injury coming so close to the opener.
Expert Kunnas states that Spain’s situation did not get any easier after the goal kick Jennifer Hermoso had to leave before the games. Hermoso, who scored ten goals in seven games in the EC qualifiers, is the same age due to a knee injury (you move to another service) aside from the tournament.
How will Spain make up for the loss?
Kunnas is sure that Spain can change. He says the team has two options.
Either Putellas will be replaced in the 4–3–3 formation (defense–midfield–attack) or Spain will change its game system.
In the first option, the substitute in the midfield will be either Atletico Madrid Irene Guerreiro or the Levant Laia Aleixandri.
– If we continue with a 4–3–3 grouping, Fence Bonmatí and Patricia Guijjarro are allowed to play at their own venues. In this case, Bonmatí’s role in the attacking game becomes really significant, but he is also able to fill the position.
In the second option, Spain would play two attackers.
– When changing the game system, the pair of Bonmatí–Guijjarro would continue alone in the midfield. If so, one of the attackers would play between the opponent’s lines and the other would create a threat from behind the defense, Kunnas estimated.
Expert Saari also says that Spain’s success requires Barcelona players Bonmatí and “Patri” Guijjarro to take on even greater responsibility. Saari does not believe that the team would drastically change its way of playing.
– They have players in the group who have well embraced Spain’s game identity. I believe that we will continue to see very versatile attacking play.
Kunnas: “Spain is in the top four”
Spain plays in Group B together with Germany, Denmark and Finland. Getting to the playoffs is a big challenge in itself, but expert Kunnas is sure that Spain will advance from its group to the playoffs.
– With that lineup, I still count them in the top four of the European Championships. Spain has excellent options for all venues. Midfielders Bonmatí and Guijjarro are world class.
In advance, Spain has been one of the championship favorites, but expert Saari believes that the championship is now uncertain. When a player like Putellas loses from the lineup, it certainly matters, he says.
– It will be interesting to see how they will compensate for this big loss and who will take Putellas’ place on the field.
The municipality estimates that Spain may still advance to the end.
– Spain’s championship dreams have not been dented.
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