Putellas, Paredes say Spain players are staying to promote change

Spain players Alexia Putellas and Irene Paredes said Thursday the majority of the squad agreed to stay to advance change within the Spanish football federation, after they were called up to play for the women’s national team against their will.

New coach Montse Tome selected a squad which was almost all on strike for upcoming Nations League matches against Sweden and Switzerland, with players only reporting for duty Tuesday because they felt threatened by potential sanctions.

The Spanish government intervened and held overnight crisis talks with the players and the federation, with a deal eventually reached Wednesday morning which saw 21 players stay and two depart.

“We decided to stay, not exactly because we are comfortable — given the whole situation all month, and how we were called up,” Barcelona defender Paredes told a news conference in Gothenburg.

“But it’s what we think we have to do, for the deals that were made to happen, and for all this to advance.”

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