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Patri Guijarro back in Spain women's Euro qualifiers and preliminary Olympic squad

Reuters
Patri Guijarro is back with Spain
Patri Guijarro is back with SpainReuters
Barcelona's Patri Guijarro (26) will return to the squad of women's world champions Spain for the first time since 2022, coach Montse Tome confirmed on Tuesday, following a boycott over a feud between players, former coach Jorge Vilda and the country's football federation (RFEF).

The midfielder last played with Spain in a 5-0 win over Ukraine in September 2022, shortly before a large group of players told the RFEF they were quitting the national team while long-standing coach Vilda remained in charge.

Guijarro was later named in new coach Tome's squad in September but quit following a new boycott over a crisis that worsened after former RFEF boss Luis Rubiales' non-consensual kiss on Spanish player Jenni Hermoso after the World Cup final in Australia.

Guijarro was one of two players, along with Barca teammate Mapi Leon, who left the national team despite the RFEF reaching an agreement for the players to end the boycott by committing to "immediate and profound changes."

"It's been two years since everything happened and we have been working all that time. All decisions have been respected and now we can count on her," Tome told a press conference.

"She is ready and willing. We have to value the team we have and Patri is already one more. We will help her, just as we have helped all of them since September.

"We are working to be a team that people admire from the football on the pitch and also from what we transmit from the outside. I think it's a victory for everyone and everyone in their role."

Spain, who have already secured their spot in next year's European Women's Championship, face Czech Republic on July 12th and Belgium four days later in the final round of qualifiers.

Coach Tome will trim her squad from 26 players to 18 for the Paris Olympics, where they share Group C with Brazil, Japan and Nigeria.