Jenni Hermoso returns to a list of the Spanish team. After Montse Tomé did not include her in her first call as coach “to protect her”, the Pachuca forward has entered the list for the next international window in which Spain will face Italy and Switzerland for a ticket to the Olympic Games .
The Madrid soccer player has been at the center of the hurricane since the Rubiales case broke out, which the Spanish justice system is now investigating for the non-consensual kiss of the then president of the Spanish Football Federation to the forward of the Spanish team. Hermoso was the most notorious dismissal from Montse Tomé’s last list and the coach herself argued that she had not named her “to protect her.” Some words that the soccer player did not like, and she responded in a harsh statement in which she asked for explanations: “Protect me from what?”
Now, the waters have returned to their channel. Montsé Tomé assured yesterday at a press conference that she has spoken with Hermoso: “That gave rise to speculation, but there is no problem with her. We made the decision not to summon her to protect her, because at that moment it seemed best for her and for everyone. We understand that now the focus is less and I hope that it continues to be less and less and we focus on football, which is what we like.”
Patri Guijarro, Mapi León and Claudia Pina are not on the list, who remain out of the national team since the ’15’ conflict broke out more than a year ago. Tomé referred to Mapi and Patri when questioned by journalists: “At the last rally they conveyed their opinion to us, which I respect, and we have not learned more. There is no need to continue giving more hype to this situation. They have shown a position that I respect and there is not much more to say,” she concluded. Of course, the coach wanted to emphasize the changes that have occurred in the Spanish Federation since the Rubiales case broke out. “The Federation is working a lot in this regard. The changes and how they are there,” she said.
Tomé acknowledged that everything that happened in the last concentration was difficult to manage, but that he feels confident leading this team: “This situation has overwhelmed us all. What happened was something exceptional and we all tried to react in the best way. The things we have had to talk about, we have talked about. I feel quiet”. The coach wanted to distance herself from Jorge Vilda, whom she did not want to consider his signing for Morocco: “I have a different way of working than before. I have spent five years with the majority of players, with another role, under other guidelines and doing my job professionally, but I was not the one who decided. You can ask any player and surely none of them will tell you anything bad. The relationship with them is good,” she insisted.
Among the 23 called by Montse Tomé there are three more new additions in addition to the entry of Jenni Hermoso: Ivana Andrés, Salma Paralluelo and Anna Torrodà. Not on the list is Alba Redondo, who returned to have minutes with her club over the weekend after overcoming a sprained ankle.
Spain will face Italy in Salerno (October 27) and Switzerland in Zurich (October 31) where it could seal qualification for the playoff for the Nations League title that distributes two tickets to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. In the middle , some internationals will have to leave the concentration to travel to Paris for the Ballon d’Or gala that is held the day before the match against Switzerland. A scenario that has already been repeated on other occasions and that Tomé faces with resignation: “We can’t control it. Would it be easier another way? Yes, but we adapt in the best way. The players who have to be at the gala will be there because it is an important recognition for them and the Federation cannot take that away from them.”
The red team is the leader of its group with full victories, after beating Sweden (2-3) and Switzerland (5-0).
Porteras: Misa Rodríguez, Cata Coll, Enith Salón
Defenders: Ona Batlle, Oihane Hernández, Irene Paredes, Ivana Andrés, Laia Aleixandri, María Méndez, Olga Carmona
Midfielders: Tere Abelleira, Jenni Hermoso, Maite Oroz, Aitana Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas, Anna Torrodà
Front: Salma Paralluelo, Mariona Caldentey, Imma Gabarro, Amaiur Sarriegi, Athenea del Castillo, Esther González, Lucía García
