In a winner-takes-all tie for a place in the Women's UEFA Nations League Finals, Spain Women and England Women collide on Tuesday at the RCDE Stadium, in another World Cup final rematch.
Sarina Wiegman's charges pummelled Portugal 6-0 on Friday to stay within touching distance of the world champions, who also taught Belgium a footballing lesson in a 5-1 romping.
Match preview
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Atoning for the mistakes they made in February's uninspiring 1-1 draw, England drew first blood inside just three minutes on Friday evening and refused to look back, hitting a beleaguered Portugal side for six to keep their first-placed destiny in their own hands.
Twenty-one-year-old Chelsea starlet Aggie Beever-Jones stole the spotlight with a 33-minute hat-trick under the arch, while Lucy Bronze and Champions League-winning duo Beth Mead and Chloe Kelly also helped themselves to goals on a near-perfect evening.
Amid the backdrop of Mary Earps's shock international retirement - which inevitably dominated the talk coming out of the camp before the match - the Lionesses did everything in their power to shift the focus back onto their on-field exploits ahead of a fascinating Euros title defence.
Before the continental championships take precedence, England have a Nations League Finals spot to secure; they are currently two points below leaders Spain in League A Group 3, meaning that victory by any margin on Tuesday will see them qualify for the semi-finals.
However, Wiegman's side have failed to win either of their two Nations League matches on the road so far - suffering an agonising 3-2 loss to Belgium after their opening draw with Portugal - and hosts Spain have just as much wind in their attacking sails.
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Doing what England could not away to Belgium, Spain also ensured that a spot in the 2025 Nations League Finals remains in their control, storming into a 5-0 lead in their penultimate group game before their hosts bagged a meaningless consolation.
Esther Gonzalez and substitute Athenea del Castillo both helped themselves to braces before Alba Redondo made it a five-star display for Montse Tome's side, who also struck an astonishing 11 goals across two meetings with Portugal in April.
La Roja's 19 goals across five Nations League matches is the second-most out of any top-tier side - only Germany (20) have found the back of the net on more occasions - and Tome's side will seal a first-placed finish with just a point on Tuesday night.
Another pleasing statistic for fans of the World Cup holders, Spain have scored at least two goals in each of their previous seven Nations League games at home, only failing to win in one of those instances; a 3-2 beating at the hands of Italy in December 2023.
Tome's team have drawn just one blank in the current Nations League campaign, but that came against none other than England in February's 1-0 defeat at Wembley, a result that the Lionesses must repeat if they are to go for glory later this year.
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Team News
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The one blemish of England's battering of Portugal was Grace Clinton's second-half yellow card, her second of the current Nations League campaign, meaning that she will sit out Tuesday's match through suspension.
However, Wiegman has a more than competent replacement in Georgia Stanway, who made her first Lionesses appearance of 2025 off the bench on Friday following a serious knee injury.
Fran Kirby is another alternative if Stanway is not deemed ready for a starting role just yet, while Kelly has no doubt put her name in the hat for a start on the left over Lauren Hemp.
Neither Ella Toone nor Alessia Russo were fit enough to play on Friday owing to calf problems, but there is optimism that the former Manchester United teammates will make the cut here.
On Spain's side, Russo's Arsenal counterpart Laia Codina withdrew from the squad with an injury before their May fixtures kicked off, but the world champions are otherwise in strong shape.
As Kelly seeks to force her way in on the England left flank, Del Castillo hopes to do the same for the hosts; Claudia Pina could very well find her spot at risk.
Spain Women possible starting lineup:
Coll; Batlle, Paredes, Aleixandri, Carmona; Bonmati, Guijarro, Putellas; Caldentey, Gonzalez, Del Castillo
England Women possible starting lineup:
Hampton; Bronze, Williamson, Morgan, Carter; Kirby, Walsh, Park; Mead, Beever-Jones, Kelly
We say: Spain Women 2-2 England Women
A clash that should almost certainly live up to the pre-game hype, Spain have no need to go gung-ho, whereas England have no option but to chase all three points in Catalonia.
Wiegman's side should therefore experience some joy in front of goal, but if Tome's team have to bite back, they can do so just as hard to claim that vital point and eliminate England.
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Ben Knapton
