Lucy Bronze believes Arsenal’s Women’s Champions League final success against Barcelona can help England’s chances of winning more silverware on the international stage, as they prepare to face Spain in Catalonia on Tuesday.
There were five members of the England squad involved in Arsenal’s European Cup win and the Chelsea right-back Bronze – who has won the Champions League five times with Lyon and Barcelona – knows how much confidence the north London club’s success will give their Lionesses for the European Championship this summer.
England have been without Bronze’s Chelsea teammate Millie Bright in this international camp while the centre-back takes a break for her mental health as well as to allow her body to recover after the domestic season and, speaking for the first time about Bright’s decision, Bronze said: “She’s missed. We’ve all spoken to Millie during the week. We’ve just offered her our support. Both physically and mentally, it’s been a long season for everyone but, having spent every day with Millie, I know she’s someone who’s quite tough and maybe just holds a lot in, so I think it’s been quite brave for her to come out and speak. And just from a friend’s perspective, I just want her to be OK, and give her as much time as she needs to feel OK again.”
Spain, who will be without the Manchester City left-back Leila Ouahabi owing to an ankle injury, were 5-1 winners in Belgium on Friday to stay at the top of Group A3 of the Nations League, with England in second spot, before the decider on Tuesday, with only one team progressing to the semi-finals in October. This is the final fixture before Wiegman names her 23-player squad for the European Championship on Thursday and she says she is nearly ready to make her final decisions.
Asked how many more selections she had to make, she said: “We’re pretty close. Of course you still want to get through the game [against Spain] and then make the final decisions, but we are pretty close.”
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Wiegman, whose side will be without the suspended midfielder Grace Clinton but will welcome back a fit-again Ella Toone, also insisted she will not take any risks on her players’ fitness for the European Championship when they face Spain. “We want to win that game and also that’s preparation for the Euros. So, short-term, trying to win that game, and a little longer-term, a bit long-term, it’s preparation for the Euros, which of course is the bigger picture.
“If a player has a little injury and is a risk for the Euros then I wouldn’t play her. That’s one difference. But we’re a good team too and will do everything to win that game.”
The match is a repeat of the 2023 Women’s World Cup final, won by Spain, although the last time the sides met it was the Lionesses who won at Wembley in February.
