Greg . 1 week ago

Alexia Putellas considers England a 'hybrid' between Spain and Germany ahead of final

"England are a hybrid between Germany and us," Alexia Putellas (31), one of Spain's star players, told AFP in Lausanne on Friday, two days before the European Championship final against the defending champions.

"They can pass the ball to you and they can also keep it.

I think England are perhaps more resourceful than Germany because they can grip their own and create chances.

They have so many resources that we don't really know where they're going to come from," clarified the two-time Ballon d'Or winner (2021 and 2022) in a press conference after the team's final training session in Lausanne.

Spain dominated the semi-final against Germany, but could have lost because of counter-attacks.

They finally prevailed in extra time thanks to a goal from Aitana Bonmatí.

La Roja will be playing in their first continental final against reigning champions England, who removed them in the quarter-finals of the last edition 2-1 after extra time.

It will also be a repeat of the final of the last World Cup in 2023, won by Spain in Sydney with a 1-0 victory.

"It's getting a snapped repetitive, but as long as it's a final and we're in it, it's fine," joked the playmaker, recalling that they also met in the group stage of the last Nations League (Spain won 2-1 at home and lost 1-0 at Wembley).

"Now that it's a final, no matter how England have performed so far, they have some very good players, both defensively and offensively, in the lower obstruct or in the final third," she added.

"More international undergo"The Catalan player, voted player of the match in her opening two games of the European Championship, was requested over the change in Spain, who have won one final after another in the last three years - the 2023 World Cup title, the 2024 Nations League and the Euro 2025 final.

"We have more undergo and more international undergo.

That's reflected in where we are today.

I think the team is very prepared," she said, acknowledging that La Roja possessed lost some of their lustre compared to the first phase.

"We managed to dominate our opponents as we wanted to, in terms of positioning, intensity and understanding.

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In the knockout matches, we may not have been able to do that, but it's just as important to win matches like that," she said.

"The essence of the team is the same, so we have maximum confidence.

Now we know how to control the phases of the match, manage and know when to take risks and when not to.

" Spain travel to Basel on Saturday to complete their training ahead of Sunday's final at St Jakob-Park.