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Not long now: The teams march out of the tunnel for the last of the pre-match formalities, which are likely to be more sombre than usual. They line up either side of referee Iuliana Demetrescu and her team of match officials ready for the national anthems. First up it’s Portugal, then Spain.
Portugal: There is a very sizeable contingent of Portugal fans in Bern this evening and most of those present staged a pre-match walk to the stadium in which they paid tribute to Diogo Jota and Andre Silva. They held homemade signs, carried flags and shed no end of tears on what is going to be a very emotional evening for those in red and green.
Tonight’s match officials
Referee: Iuliana Demetrescu
Assistant referees: Mihaela Tepusa and Amina Gutschi
Fourth Official: Shona Shukrula
VAR: Jarred Gillett
Assistant VAR: Sian Massey-Ellis
Suzanne Wrack
Diogo Jota and Andre Silva: England defender Lucy Bronze expressed her shock at the death of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva and said the Lionesses would be “thinking of them” along with the rest of the footballing and non-footballing world, writes Suzanne Wrack from Switzerland.
“It definitely shocked all the squad when we woke up this morning and the news started to spread, said Bronze. “Obviously we have a lot of Liverpool fans in our team, and football fans, but for people in general, everyone is just thinking of them – him and his brother. They were so young as well. We have seen all the messages on social media and stuff so you can tell what a great guy he has been. It’s just really sad and we were shocked by the news, really.”
Speaking on the day that Portugal play Spain in their opening game of Euro 2025, Bronze, who is half Portuguese, said: “We’ll be watching the games tonight, Portugal play their first game against Spain and I know there will be a minute’s silence held before that game.
“I think everyone in an England shirt and everyone in the tournament will be supporting the Portuguese team because they will be a lot closer to this than we are. It is just a really sad moment for everyone involved in football, knowing what a great guy he is and what an amazing year he’s had – not just in football, but he got married a few weeks ago and he’s got little kids. It’s just so sad.”
Euro 2025: Portugal The Navigators are hopeful of reaching the knockout stage for the first time but recent form has tempered expectations. Words: Nuno Travossos.
Euro 2025 team guide: Spain The world champions’ squad contains two double Ballon d’Or winners and a place in the final is the minimum requirement, writes Amalia Fra.
Spain v Portugal line-ups
Spain: Nanclares, Batlle, Mendez, Aleixandri, Carmona, Lopez, Guijarro, Putellas, Caldentey, Gonzalez, Pina.
Subs: Sullastres, Coll, Fernandez, Bonmati, del Castillo, Ouahabi, Martin-Prieto, Garcia, Paralluelo, Redondo, Zubieta.
Portugal: Pereira, Gomes, Costa, Fatima Pinto, Fonseca, Jacinto, Norton, Tatiana Pinto, Amado, Diana Silva, Jessica Silva.
Subs: Morais, Cota-Yarde, Alves, Seica, Marchao, Nazareth, Borges, Dolores Silva, Faria, Correira, Capeta, Encarnacao.
Elsewhere in Group B: Arianna Caruso scored the only goal of the game as Italy beat Belgium at the Stade de Tourbillon in Sion in today’s early kick-off. The Bayern Munich midfielder’s curled effort from distance in the first half was enough to send Italy top of the group after one game and leave Belgium in trouble already in what is expected to be a three-way battle for second place behind Spain.
Early team news: Spain’s two-time Ballon D’Or winner Aitana Bonmati rejoined her teammates after being released from hospital after receiving treatment for viral meningitis and while she is harbouring hopes of playing in this tournament, her health must come first and while she is among the substitutes tonight, she is not expected to play until the later stages.
“With Aitana back, the entire group is now at their base camp in Lausanne, ready to take on the European dream,” said the Spanish Football Federation following her release from hospital. In her absence this evening, Vicky Lopez is expected to start in midfield alongside Alexia Putellas and Patri Guijarro. Spain are without Real Madrid midfielder Tere Abelleira and Arsenal defender Laia Codina, who are absent from this tournament through injury, while veterans Jenni Hermoso and Ivana Andrés were not picked for the squad.
Carolina Mendes will be a conspicuous abentee for Portugal, having been ruled out of the tournament through injury. Barcelona midfielder Kika Nazareth has been included in Portugal’s squad despite only returning to training last month after being sidelined with an ankle injury since March. There are also concerns over the fitness of Benfica left-back Lúcia Alves and Gotham winger Jéssica Silva. Everton goalkeeper Ines Pereira is the sole WSL representative in the Portugal squad.
Group B: Spain v Portugal
On a truly devastating day for Portuguese football, it is difficult to imagine what must be going through the minds of the players representing the nation’s women’s team as they prepare to face Spain in Bern this evening. The car accident in which Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, also a footballer, lost their lives is one of those tragedies that has hit everyone hard, which means an already difficult assignment for Francisco Neto and his Portuguese players has been rendered immeasurably tougher. We wish each and every one of them well.
A universally popular and admired player who was renowned for his skill, tenacity, humility and cheerful disposition, Jota’s death has prompted an understandable outpouring of shock and grief throughout and beyond the football family. The players of Spain will also be struggling to process the sadness many of us are feeling at the awful news that a son, a father of three, a brother, a new husband and a very fine footballer has been lost. The weather forecast in Switzerland’s capital city tonight is for bright sunshine but this morning’s news about Diogo and André means this match will be played under a very dark cloud.
There will, of course, be a tribute to both brothers ahead of tonight’s match between these Iberian neighbours and Portugal’s players will wear black armbands as a mark of respect for their fallen comrades. “Uefa announces that a moment of silence will be observed at all of today’s and tomorrow’s Women’s Euro 2025 matches in memory of Portugal international and Liverpool FC forward Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva who tragically passed away today,” said European football’s governing body earlier today. May they rest in peace.
