Spain v Switzerland live: Women’s Euro 2025 hosts take on tournament favourites for semi-final place – UK Times

Spain XI: Coll; Batlle, Paredes, Aleixandri, Carmona; Bonmati, Guijarro, Putellas; Caldentey, Gonzalez, Pina

Switzerland XI: Peng; Beney, Calligaris, Walti, Martiz; Riesen, Reuteler, Ivelj, Vallotto; Crnogorcevic, Schertenleib

“One of a kind,” Sarina Wiegman said of Lucy Bronze. Her “fighter” of a full-back certainly offered an image that will go down in England folklore, albeit after a team performance that won’t quite be mentioned as prominently.

Only the spirit, appropriately, will prevail. After a series of absurd misses, in what might well have been one of the worst penalty shoot-outs in football history, a hobbling Bronze ripped off the strapping on her left leg, and strode forward. An astonishing eight of the 12 previous penalties had been squandered. Some had been missed in scarcely believable fashion, the emotional momentum of the shoot-out veering as wildly as some of the shots. So, Bronze just smashed it straight into the roof of the net.

England lived to fight another day at Euro 2025 after surviving a chaotic penalty shoot-out to beat Sweden and reach the semi-finals.

After England came from behind to claim a 2-2 draw following extra time, nine of the 14 penalties were missed in an extraordinary decider. With a 36 per cent conversion, according to ESPN, it was the worst combined penalty shoot-out rate in Women’s Euro history.

But after emerging through one of the worst penalty shoot-outs in major tournament history, England could still celebrate as they set up a semi-final with Italy.

Switzerland face perhaps the toughest challenge yet as they take on world champions Spain in the quarter-finals of the Women’s Euros, but coach Pia Sundhage predicted a win for her side saying that anything is possible.

Sundhage’s side have already become the first Swiss team to get out of the group stage at the tournament, and though the Spaniards represent a formidable opponent, the wily Swedish coach highlighted that big upsets have happened before.

“I would say this is the biggest ever. And the reason I’m saying that is because we’re going to play against the world champions. And also, on home soil, a quarter-final, so I think this is the moment,” Sundhage told reporters.

“We try to share stories, that’s what life is all about,” she said, revealing that the team had watched videos of the men’s side causing a similar upset by beating Spain at the 2010 World Cup.

“There are some stories you would like to happen again, so sharing stories brings us together, but they also bring a lot of energy as well, and just the mindset that it is possible.”

Spain playmaker Aitana Bonmati is back to full fitness following a meningitis scare and aiming to continue writing history when Spain take on Switzerland in their Women’s Euro quarter-final in Bern.

The reigning world and Nations League champions had their plans disrupted a few days before the tournament as Bonmati was hospitalised with suspected viral meningitis, but the 27-year-old said she is back to her best ahead of the Swiss showdown.

“I never thought I wouldn’t be here — I thought I may miss some games, but I never thought I couldn’t be here. I’m willing to be in this tournament. What happened was an unexpected thing,” she told reporters on Thursday.

“I felt super well physically, I was perfect … and all of a sudden, I was at the hospital. It was a new experience for me, obviously, I was negative because it was five days before starting the tournament and I was at the hospital.

“I was frustrated, I suffered, I must admit. All players want to enjoy tournaments but luckily enough I’m ready to play the quarter-finals.”

Switzerland squeezed through to the quarter-finals for the first time after scoring a late equaliser in the 1-1 draw against Finland and the hosts will be major underdogs when they take on world champions Spain in the quarter-finals.

In an ominous sign from the tournament favourites, Spain equalled the record set by England three years ago for the most goals scored in a Women’s Euros group stage, netting 14 across their three wins. They have shared the goals around the team but Esther Gonzalez has been prolific, with four already, while Alexia Putellas has been the player of the tournament so far with three goals and four assists.

Putellas looks back to her best after being ruled out of the previous Euros with a knee injury suffered on the eve of the tournament, which has meant Spain’s other two-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati has been able to slowly build into the competition after being in hospital for treatment for viral meningitis a week before their first match.

Even with the whole country behind them and momentum building, Switzerland require their greatest ever performance to continue their journey. Geraldine Reuteler has been their standout player in midfield, so there is some hope of a magic moment. Spain just have so many different threats and look unstoppable in attack.

Spain made some changes for their final group game against Italy but Aitana Bonmati should keep her place in midfield after making her first start of the tournament. Esther Gonzalez, the tournament’s top scorer with four goals, should return alongside Alexia Putellas and Mariana Caldentey. Cata Coll is yet to return in goal with Adriana Nanclares playing every game so far.

Switzerland named an unchanged team for their 1-1 draw against Finland and have been improved by Sydney Schertenleib and Svenja Fölmli coming into their attack. Schertenleib plays her club football with Barcelona while Lia Walti and Geraldine Reuteler have been their best performers of the tournament. Head coach Pia Sundhage has named the same defence for each match so far.

The Euro 2025 quarter-final will kick off at 8pm BST (UK time) on Friday 18 July in Bern.

It will be shown on BBC One and iPlayer, with coverage getting underway at 7:30pm.

Switzerland squeezed through to the knockout stages for the first time in their history with a last-gasp goal against Finland in the group stages but face the toughest test in football as they play the world champions.

Spain have been in ominous form so far, scoring 14 goals in the group stage as they comfortably won their three group games. Alexia Putellas is back in form while Aitana Bonmati has returned to full fitness too.

Spain will be huge favourites to progress but Switzerland will have the backing of the home crowd in Bern. Spain were knocked out of the last Euros by the hosts at the quarter-final stage when they lost to England in 2022.