In a recent development, 21 players were named by the national team coach Montse Tomé, signaling a clear intent to stay focused on upcoming fixtures. The team will head to Gothenburg to challenge Sweden at the start of the Nations League, an appointment confirmed by Víctor Francos, the president of the Supreme Sports Council (CSD).
Francos said the group showed their willingness to remain together, noting that it is positive for the women’s squad to face both scheduled matches. He spoke after meeting the players for several hours at a hotel in Oliva, a Valencian town, describing the atmosphere as friendly and open, where players could voice concerns freely. He mentioned that two players had requested relief from certain obligations due to issues of morale and personal discomfort, but that the overall plan had been accepted without sanctions.
“Two players wanted to ease their concentration entirely”, Francos stated. “They will NOT be sanctioned, and the rest have shown their desire to stay.”
Francos appeared live on El Chiringuito TV to relay the update, which followed a long, intricate day involving national-team internationals whom Tomé had summoned the previous Monday. Several players had publicly stated their stance in statements made on Friday, asserting they would not back down. If no deeper changes emerged within the RFEF national team, there would be continuing adjustments in the squad’s approach.
Before any sanctions could be considered, some voices argued that the call-up did not align with FIFA’s regulations in a timely manner. In the end, the players agreed to attend, though not at the Football City of Las Rozas in Madrid, as had been customary. The situation began to settle, with a sense that routine procedures were slowly returning to normal.
Amid the chatter and evolving positions, Real Madrid players Misa Rodríguez, Tere Abelleira, Oihane Hernández, Olga Carmona, and Athenea del Castillo, along with Atlético de Madrid’s Eva Navarro, gathered in a hotel with Montse Tomé and her staff. The delegation then moved to Oliva, Valencia, in the afternoon, continuing the coordination away from Madrid’s usual venues.
Further arrivals came from different points, including Lucía García from Manchester and Laia Aleixandri from elsewhere in Europe. Esther González, who had planned to join from the United States, ultimately faced an injury setback and did not train during the concentration session; Cristina Martín-Prieto joined in her place for Tuesday afternoon so the group could continue training as scheduled.
During the day, a new logistical hitch emerged when a delay affected a Barcelona-bound flight carrying several Barcelona players, including Alexia Putellas, Mapi León, Irene Paredes, Patri Guijarro, Aitana Bonmatí, Cata Coll, Ona Batlle, and Mariona Caldentey. The delay pushed the meeting with Víctor Francos into the evening, extending late into the night and spilling over into Wednesday morning as personnel adjusted to the revised schedule.