EURO 2025: DFB women challenge Spain in the semifinals

The world champions from Spain are the favorites. With three wins in three matches, they comfortably won their group stage and also had little trouble in the quarterfinals, beating European Championship hosts Switzerland 2-0. With a total of 14 goals, they have the best offense at EURO 2025 so far and have conceded only three goals. But: The Spanish women have never beaten Germany.

Things didn't go quite as smoothly for the German national team at the European Championships. First, captain Giulia Gwinn was sidelined with a knee injury in the opening match. Then came the 4-1 defeat in the final group match against Sweden. The penalty shootout victory against France in the quarterfinals was an impressive display of energy by the German women's team. Ultimately, national coach Christian Wück 's team had to play with ten men after Kathrin Hendrich's early red card. However, the match was a draining one.

Wück is limited in terms of personnel. Defender Hendrich is suspended after her sending off, as is midfielder Sjoeke Nüsken after receiving her second yellow card of the tournament. Full-back Sarai Linder suffered an ankle injury in the quarterfinals and is therefore also out. Defender Carlotta Wamser, however, is available to play after serving a red card suspension from the match against Sweden.

Voices:

National coach Christian Wück (Germany): "I can already promise that we will give the Spanish women a tough performance."

Captain Janina Minge (Germany): "You could see that we are capable of great things. I am absolutely certain that we can also beat the Spanish team."

Captain Alexia Putellas (Spain): "There's always a first time. The goal, of course, is to reach the final, and that means beating Germany for the first time."

World Footballer Aitana Bonmati (Spain): "We are still missing the European Championship title, and we will do everything we can to get it."

Statistics:

Normally, Germany would be considered the Spanish women's bogey team. The two teams have faced each other eight times, and Spain has never prevailed. The German women have won five times, with three draws. However, the last few encounters have all been relatively close.

In the match for third place at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Germany won 1-0. Goalkeeper Ann-Kathrin Berger saved a penalty from Putellas in the last minute of stoppage time, securing bronze for the German national team.

At EURO 2022 in England, the German women's soccer team won 2-0 in the preliminary round thanks to goals from Klara Bühl and Alexandra Popp . Spain lost to England in the quarterfinals (1-2 after extra time), and Germany lost to the hosts from the UK in the final (also 1-2 after extra time).