Spain Full Of Hope As They Prepare For Germany Semi-Final, Says Athenea Del Castillo

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Spain is brimming with optimism as they aim for their first European Championship final. They will face Germany on Wednesday, seeking to add a Euros title to their recent World Cup and Nations League victories. Spain defeated Switzerland 2-0 in the quarter-final, with Athenea del Castillo scoring the first goal. However, Germany, eight-time champions, presents a tougher challenge after defeating France 6-5 on penalties.

Spain has been victorious in their last eight major tournament games, matching their total wins from their first 26 World Cup and Euros matches combined. Del Castillo expressed confidence in overcoming Germany in what will be only Spain's second Euros semi-final appearance. "We are full of hope. We are so excited. We dream of being European champions, but to do that we need to win on Wednesday, so all our energy is going into that game," Del Castillo told AFP.

The Opta supercomputer initially favoured Spain to win the title before the tournament began. However, they have now dropped to second place with a 54% chance of reaching the final and a 31% chance of winning the title, trailing behind defending champions England at 36%. This upcoming match marks the third meeting between Germany and Spain at a major tournament, with Germany having won both previous encounters without conceding a goal.

Spain has lost their last two matches against Germany across all competitions. However, they have not suffered three consecutive defeats against the same opponent since losing three times to the United States between January 2019 and March 2020. Aitana Bonmati, who rejoined the squad after recovering from viral meningitis, emphasised that beating Germany would demonstrate the team's ambition.

"[Beating Germany would mean] excitement, ambition, and the desire to continue conquering the world," Bonmati told Marca. She highlighted Spain's recent achievements of winning a World Cup and Nations League but noted that they still lack a European Championship title. Bonmati stressed the importance of focusing on this match against Germany as it is no small feat.

Reflecting on past experiences like the Paris Olympics loss to Germany, Del Castillo believes Spain has matured significantly. "I think we have matured a lot since [the Paris Olympics, where Spain lost to Germany]. We are better at controlling games in different moments now," she said. She added that maintaining composure and focusing on their objective will be crucial for success.

Bonmati reiterated that while reaching the semi-finals is an achievement, it holds little value if they do not progress further. "In the end, as cliche as it may be, the truth is we have to take it game by game. You can't think about the final when you have to beat Germany first," she stated.

The Spanish team remains determined to focus solely on Wednesday's game against Germany. They aim to concentrate on every play and moment while playing their style of football. If successful in overcoming this hurdle, celebrations will follow later.