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BBC News
25 minutes ago
- BBC News
From hospital bed to hero status - Bonmati 'could write a book'
"I could write a book about that," said Aitana Bonmati after Spain beat Germany in extra-time to seal their spot in the Euro 2025 midfielder had just been asked a question about how it felt to go from almost missing the tournament because of illness to scoring a semi-final was discharged from hospital days before the Euros started after suffering from a bout of viral she recovered quickly, the two-time Ballon d'Or winner was made to wait for her chance in Switzerland - coming off the bench in Spain's first two now the 27-year-old looks to be back to her world-class best as she skilfully side-stepped over Athenea del Castillo's pass before rifling past Ann-Katrin Berger at the near post."If Spain are going to win a game, it will be a player like Bonmati that is able to take the game by the scruff of the neck in these moments and get that goal," former England midfielder Fara Williams said on BBC One. 'Scoring in games like this is super special' Spain had dominated possession, but they had struggled to break through a resilient defence in Zurich as Christian Wuck's side dug deep to force extra with the game looking destined for a penalty shootout, Bonmati stepped up when it mattered - sending Spain to their first Women's Euro final."It was not easy for [Bonmati] at the beginning of the tournament but she has a special personality to be at the maximum level," said Spain boss Montse had cleverly darted into space between Germany defenders Rebecca Knaak and Franziska Kett, before receiving Del Castillo's pass on the the tight angle, she buried the ball in at the near post."Top-class players turn up in the moments and that's what Spain needed. That's why Bonmati is a Ballon d'Or winner," ex-Scotland defender Jen Beattie said on BBC Radio 5 England defender Steph Houghton added: "I honestly thought from Spain's point of view she was definitely their best player and she's got them through to their first-ever European Championship final."The goal sent the Spanish fans at Stadion Letzigrund into pandemonium, while the scorer was immediately embraced by members of La Roja's bench."When the ball was in, I started running and I saw the bench standing so I celebrated with them," said Bonmati."Scoring in a game like this one is super-special. If I can help the team write history, it's very special."She added: "I was confident in my mentality and my physical situation. I wanted to get to this game at my best level. Thanks to all people who were next to me to help me reach this level." 'We wrote history again' To set up an encounter with England in Sunday's final, Spain had to do something they had never done before - beat had failed in their eight previous attempts, and had lost the past four without scoring."Today I feel we wrote history again. For the first time we were able to make the final of the women's Euros and beat Germany, which we hadn't in the past," said Bonmati."We feel proud to be a generation of players to win so many things."Spain are now on the cusp of adding a European crown to their World Cup trophy from arrived at the tournament as favourites, with stats experts Opta giving them a 25% chance of going all the way in having defeated the Lionesses in the 2023 World Cup final thanks to Olga Carmona's first-half goal, they will once again be favourites on Sunday."Today we can enjoy. Tomorrow we have to start thinking of England," said Bonmati.
Daily Mail
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Alejandro Garnacho sends two-word message to Marcus Rashford after Barcelona move - as star becomes first Man United 'bomb squad' member to depart
Alejandro Garnacho offered two-word reaction to celebrate Marcus Rashford sealing his move to Barcelona from Manchester United. Rashford's move to Barcelona was confirmed on Wednesday with the forward joining on an initial season-long loan. Barcelona will have the option to sign Rashford permanently for around £30million at the end of the season. Rashford had been one of five players placed in Man United 's 'bomb squad' this summer, with Ruben Amorim determining them to have no future at the club. Garnacho is among those to have been told to stay away from first team training and left out of the club's tour to the United States to seek a move elsewhere. The group also includes Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia. Rashford become the first member of the 'bomb squad' to leave Man United by sealing his move to Barcelona, with Garnacho quick to respond. The forward responded to a joint Instagram post by Barcelona and Rashford, confirming the deal, with the message 'Lets gooooo'. Garnacho's message was accompanied by two emojis mirroring Rashford's goal celebration, which has previously seen him point to his head. The winger, who was told to find a new club by Amorim at the end of last season, has already attracted attention for his social media posts this summer. Fans had expressed anger last month after Garnacho shared photos from his holiday to Ibiza, one of which included a picture of him wearing the Aston Villa shirt worn by Rashford on his loan last season. Supporters had hit out at the winger for wearing another Premier League clubs shirt while a Man United player, while some viewed it as defiance to Amorim after his decision to cut ties with Rashford. Amorim had informed Garnacho that he should find a new club days after their Europa League final defeat against Tottenham in May. The Argentine winger had been unhappy to be left on the bench for more than 70 minutes of the final, while his brother Roberto had accused Amorim of 'throwing him under the bus' in Bilbao. Garnacho and his brother appeared to signal their disagreement with the team selection on social media posts before the match, while he had apologised for expressing disappointment at his substitution in an Instagram post back in February. Mail Sport reported that Man United would consider offers of around £40m for Garnacho this summer. Garnacho had been valued at around £70m when Napoli made an approach for him in January. The 21-year-old wants to stay in the Premier League and there is interest from Chelsea, Tottenham and Aston Villa.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Spain to face England in Euro 2025 final after Bonmatí's extra-time strike sinks Germany
The rain drenched Spain's players in this wide, sweeping bowl but nobody was in any rush to leave the pitch. They were still out there more than two and a half hours after they had begun their shot at history, waving at their exultant families and reliving what had just passed. A first European Championship final awaits on Sunday, which may have felt inevitable for three weeks but feels no smaller a milestone for that. England present a familiar last hurdle and what a tie it should be between two sides that, in different ways, had to squeeze over the line. In the end it had to be Aitana Bonmatí. Extra time was drifting to a conclusion and, for the first time this summer, Spain were screaming for a spark from the world's best player. They had plenty of chances to win inside 90 minutes but, against an outstanding Germany side, could so easily have been vanquished too. Had their keeper, Catalina Coll, not made a remarkable double save at the end of normal time they would finally have reckoned with mortality. Bonmatí, for one, did not fancy playing so loosely with the odds again. A customary stroke of genius or the spoils of sloppy goalkeeping? The debate will rage about Bonmatí's winner and a fair reading would err towards the former. Ann-Katrin Berger had been immaculate between the posts for Germany and did not look in immediate danger when Athenea del Castillo played Bonmatí, who had let the ball run through her legs and darted to meet it, through towards the right byline. Presumably Berger had set herself for a cross; she could not react in time to the thrashed first-time strike inside her near post that few players would have dared attempt in the circumstances. Nobody could doubt the scorer's intention, either. Afterwards Bonmatí explained Spain had been perfectly aware that Berger was predisposed to leaving that area of her goal exposed. This was the same Bonmatí who, a month previously, had been hospitalised by viral meningitis in a turn of events that severely clouded Spain's preparations. Back then it would have taken an admirable level of optimism to imagine her going the distance in a tense, rugged, enthralling last-four clash and ultimately waving the magic wand. England must find a way to cope with her and the rest of a team that, while short of its best here, remains a notch above any other contender at this competition. A rerun of the 2023 World Cup will hold few surprises. 'I know what they can do,' said the midfielder Mariona Caldentey of England's qualities as sheets of water continued to teem down. 'It will be a hard game. They're in the final even if they haven't played the greatest football yet. It's something we have never won and is something we are missing. We respect England, but we will go for it.' For long periods it appeared that, against the pre-match odds, Germany's muscle memory could win out. They have ruled the continent eight times and it feels a trick of the light that their drought will now extend 16 years to Euro 2029. Even if it takes a colossal stretch to cast them as plucky underdogs they could make that case here, weakened by injuries and suspensions while on the back of a remarkable win over France in which they had ground through 113 minutes with 10 players. This was a side that, similarly light on numbers for an hour, lost 4-1 to Sweden here 11 days previously. It helped that they kept a full complement against Spain and the frustration for Christian Wück's players will be that they played the occasion perfectly. The balance between defensive resolve and attacking thrust was cleverly poised; they knew Berger would be leaned on at intervals but it would have been no scandal had the dice rolled their way. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion The irrepressible Klara Bühl, an almost unplayable outlet on the left, had numerous attempts at deciding matters in their favour and missed a presentable early chance to set them on their way. She tested Coll in the second half and arrowed a free-kick just wide but it was a deflected shot from Elisa Senss that, with almost the final action before the additional period, almost broke through. A backpeddling Coll had to scramble the ball from under her bar and, when Carlotta Wamser followed up, reacted to block on the line. It was a defining moment to match Bonmatí's later flourish. Earlier Berger, hero of that epic against France, could count a spectacular tip-over from Esther González among a number of interventions. She was beaten when Irene Paredes headed against her left post but, beyond a flurry before half-time, Spain were kept at arm's length. They were rarely fluent, at least by their peerless standards, against opponents who had expected to run hard and did exactly that. Now their modern rivalry with England travels from Sydney to Basel with two years and, for those who took in both Euro 2025 semi-finals, several lifetimes in between. 'We had the correct mindset at the right moments,' Bonmatí said. Nobody exemplifies it more.
