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Sam MarsdenJul 6, 2025, 01:34 PM ET
Spain defender Olga Carmona said determination is nary notation of the connection favourites astir the team's basal successful Switzerland arsenic they hole to look Belgium successful the European Championship connected Monday.
World champions Spain opened their run with an awesome 5-0 triumph implicit Portugal connected Thursday successful Group B and tin seal a quarterfinal spot with a triumph implicit Belgium successful Thun if Portugal don't bushed Italy aboriginal successful the day.
Many tipped La Roja to triumph the Euros pre-tournament, and the Portugal show has lone strengthened that opinion, but Carmona said they are blocking retired the outer noise.
"Internally we don't notation that connection [favourites]," the recently signed Paris Saint-Germain left-back said successful a quality conference.
"We conscionable privation to support picking up wins. Football is unpredictable and we privation to instrumentality things measurement by step.
"We wanted to commencement with a triumph and we did that. But we've spoken, we're keeping our feet connected the ground. We can't get carried distant with the Portugal win, each squad is going to marque it difficult.
"We person different situation time and we privation to flooded it. We are up against a beardown Belgium broadside and we're going to hole good to look them."
Spain person present won their past six games successful each competitions, recovering from a hard spell which stretched from the Olympic Games past summertime into the commencement of this year.
During that clip they won conscionable 3 of their 8 fixtures, but Carmona said a renewed absorption connected pressing helped them crook a corner.
"There are games erstwhile we could person pressed amended aft losing the ball," the erstwhile Real Madrid defender added.
"I deliberation we person improved there. You tin spot however overmuch much effectual we are. That unit aft losing the shot is portion of our DNA and possibly we forgot it astatine times.
"But the unit are determination to punctual america and they've helped america improve."
Spain manager Montse Tomé towed a akin enactment to Carmona, pointing retired that 1 triumph means precise small astatine this stage.
"After the Portugal game, I told the players to bask the infinitesimal and worth the triumph due to the fact that it wasn't easy," Tomé said successful a quality conference.
"Since then, it's been astir betterment and preparing for aboriginal challenges. The players person besides had immoderate escaped clip to remainder and disconnect, which is key.
"But the connection is that we person lone won 1 game. We person to support our feet connected the ground, enactment humble and enactment hard."
Spain volition invited backmost skipper Irene Paredes against Belgium aft she served a suspension against Portugal.
Ballon d'Or holder Aitana Bonmatí is besides successful enactment to commencement aft recovering from viral meningitis to travel disconnected the seat successful the opening game.
"[Bonmatí] has an astonishing mentality and is truthful focused connected this Euros," Tomé added. "It's a shame what she went through, determination was immoderate fearfulness astatine first, but she's doing well.
"She played immoderate minutes the different day, ever portion prioritising her health. We volition travel that line, but she is available. The bully happening is she's recovered."
