What: Nations League semifinal in football, the first match in a best-of-two series.
Where: La Rosaleda stadium, Málaga, Spain.
When: Friday at 20.00.
TV/radio: SVT/SVT Play and P4 Radiosporten.
From PG to TG: Tony Gustavsson is the new national team manager after Peter Gerhardsson, who stepped down this summer after eight years in the position. It will be a baptism by fire for the 52-year-old Gustavsson, who has only had this week to assemble a team that can compete for a final spot.
Opposition: Spain away – it doesn't get much tougher. The team is the reigning world champion, ranked number one in the world, and reached the final in the European Championship this summer, and also has a heavy statistical advantage over Sweden in recent years: three straight wins and ten goals scored. The last time the countries met, just in Málaga two years ago, Spain won 5–3.
Starting eleven: Those who hope for a completely new Swedish team will have to keep hoping. Tony Gustavsson has not tried to hide his intended starting eleven during training on Spanish soil this week. Apart from injured Magdalena Eriksson and left-back Jonna Andersson – who did not make the squad – it looks like it will be exactly the same eleven that started in the last national team match: the European Championship quarterfinal against England in July.
Spanish setbacks: Patricia "Patri" Guijarro is injured and will definitely miss the match. Another of Spain's big midfield stars, Alexia Putellas, trained on her own at the beginning of the week and is also a question mark. This means at least one significant setback for new national team manager Sonia Bermúdez.
Sweden, possible starting eleven (4–3–3): Jennifer Falk – Hanna Lundkvist, Nathalie Björn, Amanda Ilestedt, Anna Sandberg – Filippa Angeldahl, Kosovare Asllani, Julia Zigiotti Olme – Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Stina Blackstenius, Fridolina Rolfö.
Rest of the squad: Tove Enblom (goalkeeper), Moa Öhman (goalkeeper), Smilla Holmberg, Elma Junttila Nelhage, Amanda Nildén, Linda Sembrant, Hanna Bennison, Rebecka Blomqvist, Evelyn Ijeh, Monica Jusu Bah, Rosa Kafaji, Felicia Schröder.
National team manager: Tony Gustavsson.
Spain's squad: Cata Coll (goalkeeper), Adriana Nanclares (goalkeeper), Eunate Astralaga (goalkeeper), Ona Batlle, Olga Carmona, Irene Paredes, Mapi León, María Méndez, Jana Fernández, Lucía Corrales, Alexia Putellas, Laia Aleixandri, Fiamma Benítez, Aitana Bonmatí, Vicky López, Clara Serrajordi, Mariona Caldentey, Jennifer Hermoso, Alba Redondo, Clàudia Pina, Salma Paralluelo, Eva Navarro, Cristina Martín.
National team manager: Sonia Bermúdez.
