Spain finally have Barça midfield stars in top form together - ESPN

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmatí and Patri Guijarro are something of an institution in Barcelona's midfield, but for different reasons they have been unable to combine for Spain as they have done for their club. The signs at Euro 2025 this summer suggest it's finally changing, although that will be put to the test on Wednesday against Germany in Zurich as the world champions aim to reach the European Championship final for the first time in their history.

Key to Spain's chances of progress — and a first-ever win over a Germany side who beat them in last year's bronze medal match at the Olympic Games — will be their midfield. Putellas, Bonmatí and Guijarro have won countless trophies alongside each other at Barça but, remarkably, before this tournament began they had all started together in just two of Spain's last 21 matches at the World Cup, Euros and Olympics.

At the 2019 World Cup, none of them were bona fide starters. In 2022, at the Euros, Putellas tore her ACL on the eve of the tournament. Guijarro sat out the 2023 World Cup in protest at the working conditions provided by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) at the time. Last year, at the Olympics, she returned, but has spoken of not feeling entirely herself at the tournament as coach Montse Tomé picked the trio as her midfield in just two of Spain's six outings.

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It briefly looked like they would be kept apart this summer, too, when Bonmatí was hospitalised with viral meningitis just days before the finals. She made a quick recovery, though, and while she was a