Key events
68 min: The Italy team doctor has just come onto the pitch to assess Giuliani. He’s wearing a suit and tie with football boots. An interesting choice. Probably not the most practical choice.
66 min: Both teams take another break while Giuliani receives treatment for what looks like a calf issue.
63 min: A pass is played through to Paralluelo in the box. Salvai attempts to slide in but completely misses the ball, leaving the forward free to cross, but Giuliani gets there to make the catch.
61 min: Huge chance for Italy as Cantore receives possession on the left and cuts inside before going for goal. Her shot takes a big deflection off Méndez, forcing Nanclares into a fantastic save.
59 min: A substitution for Spain now as Del Castillo makes way for Vicky López.
58 min: Andrea Soncin makes his first change of the match as Cristiana Girelli replaces Piemonte.
56 min: Spain have a corner and Paralluelo sends a cross into the box. Giuliani attempts to punch clear but it falls to Caldentey at the back of the box. The goalkeeper can quickly recover to get two hands back on the ball.
53 min: It goes to show just how good Spain are. Italy have not been poor in this match, in fact, they have gone toe-to-toe with the world champions for much of it. But when you’re up against La Roja, you cannot afford to make any mistakes, especially in the box.
50 min: Del Castillo makes her way past five or six Italy players on her way into the box. Lenzini eventually makes the tackle and attempts to clear it, but passes the ball straight to Patri who drills her shot into the bottom-right corner!
A great strike, but poor defending from Italy.
GOAL! Italy 1-2 Spain (Patri Guijarro, 49)
Spain lead for the first time in the match! Patri with the strike!
47 min: Caruso attempts to send the ball into the box, but she puts too much behind the pass and it runs behind for a goal kick.
KICK-OFF: Italy 1-1 Spain
We’re back under way!
It’s also half-time in the other Group B fixture. Belgium currently lead Portugal 1-0 in Sion.
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Peter Gartner has messaged in with his pick for the player of the match so far:
“Elisabetta Oliviero is the best player on the pitch tonight. Good decision to start her.”
I think I have to agree. She’s been everywhere on that pitch this evening.
HALF-TIME: Italy 1-1 Spain
A fantastic first-half performance from Italy sees them level with the world champions at the break.
45+3 min: Italy have caused plenty of problems for Spain so far. Andrea Soncin will be thrilled.
45+1 min: Four minutes have been added on…
44 min: Another big chance for Italy! Cantore is sent running down the right again before crossing into the danger zone. Piemonte is there and has a free header, but directs her attempt way over the crossbar!
43 min: NO PENALTY! Spain – and Paredes – get away with one there. It did look like a handball, but an offside bails them out.
41 min: But wait, VAR is checking a potential handball from Paredes in the box…
40 min: Oliviero plays a pass to Cantore on the right, who drills a cross into the box. It’s an awkward one for Paredes, who dives to the floor to head it clear, but doesn’t do a particularly good job of it.
39 min: Both teams have had just one attempt on target so far…
36 min: Bonmatí finds Del Castillo on the right. The forward drills a cross into the box and Oliviero attempts to control it, but her touch is too heavy and the ball runs behind for a corner.
33 min: Both teams have a quick drinks break while Giuliani receives some treatment. As things stand, Spain will top the group with Italy in second.
30 min: Italy break forward on the counter attack as Oliviero plays a fantastic pass through to Piemonte. The striker carries it forward before shooting, but she drags her effort just wide.
The flag is up anyway, so if she had managed to score it probably wouldn’t have stood anyway.
29 min: Caldentey picks out Paralluelo with a brilliant chipped pass in the box. The forward brings it down before shooting, but her effort is blocked by Oliviero.
26 min: Del Castillo receives the ball in the box and gets past Salvai with ease. The defender is able to quickly turn and make a last-ditch block to send the ball behind for a corner. Nothing comes of the set piece.
24 min: Caldentey’s forward pass is intercepted by Giugliano and Italy look to break forward, but they fail to make the most of the opportunity and possession is turned around once again.
22 min: Caruso spins Del Castillo and looks to break forward, but she draws a foul from the Spain forward in the defensive third.
19 min: It was a bright start from Italy, but that opening goal from Oliviero really gave Spain a wake-up call. La Roja have been all over them since then.
17 min: That equaliser has given Spain a huge boost. They are really pushing forward now.
15 min: Del Castillo drives into the box, skipping past the Italy defence before setting the ball to Putellas. The midfielder flicks it back with her back heel for the forward to then unleash her strike into the top-left corner!
GOAL! Italy 1-1 Spain (Athenea del Castillo, 14)
What a response! And what a goal!
11 min: Caruso crosses the ball to Cantore in the box, who flicks it on to Piemonte. The striker goes for goal, but scuffs her shot. Caldentey is there but takes a heavy touch straight into the path of Oliviero, who has an easy shot at goal to fire Italy into the lead!
GOAL! Italy 1-0 Spain (Elisabetta Oliviero, 10)
Italy lead through Oliviero! What a start!
9 min: Italy have a corner and the ball is sent straight into the box by Giugliano. Linari rises to head it towards goal but rattles the bar!
8 min: Caruso and Cantore play a one-two on the right in midfield before the latter is sent through. She goes for the cross, but none of her team-mates can get on the end of it.
5 min: Italy break forward and the attack culminates in a corner. The cross is sent to the edge of the box where Cantore goes for goal but Spain can deal with it fairly easily.
4 min: The ball is sent all the way back to Nanclares and the goalkeeper is almost caught out by Piemonte, but she can eventually clear the danger.
3 min: Spain have a corner and Paralluelo crosses the ball into the box, but Italy can make the clearance.
2 min: Spain break forward early on as Del Castillo plays the ball to Bonmatí in the box, who looks to cross but her attempt is cut out by Linari.
KICK-OFF
We’re under way in Bern!
The teams are out. The national anthems have been sung. Kick-off is just a few moments away!
We are lucky enough to have the legendary Chelsea manager, WSL icon and United States women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes on board as a columnist throughout Euro 2025. Here is what she had to say in her latest column…
Today’s match officials:
Referee: Iuliana Demetrescu
Assistant referees: Mihaela Tepusa, Franca Overtoom
Fourth official: Katalin Kulcsár
VAR: Dennis Higler
Assistant VAR: Tamás Bognár
Prior to this evening’s match, Spain manager Montse Tomé said: “It’s normal that everyone wants to play. We have 23 players, each with a role. We’ll think about what the best starting 11 is for the match, but we’re well-covered in every position, and everyone is very motivated.”
She added: “Italy are a very competitive team. They try to defend well, they get players into the box very quickly, they attack with direct play and second balls, and I think they have experienced players. It’s going to be a very hard-fought match.”
Be sure to check out our Italy and Spain team guides before kick-off this evening.
Portugal v Belgium is the other match taking place this evening. Here is the team news for that one:
Portugal: Morais; Gomes, Costa, F Pinto; Amado, Norrton, T Pinto, Nazareth, Marchao; Capeta, Di Silva. Substitutes: Pereira, Cota-Yarde, Alves, Seica, Jacinto, J Silva, Do Silva, Faria, Correira, Fonseca, Encarnacao.
Belgium: Lichtfus; Janssens, Tysiak, Kees, Cayman, Deloose; Toloba, Vanhaevermaet, Teulings; Wullaert, Blom. Substitutes: Evrard, Bastiaen, Philtjens, Van Kerkhoven, Wijnants, De Caigny, Eurlings, Dhont, Mertens, Iliano, Detruyer, Missipo.
Sophie Downey
There is no denying that Spain are looking in frighteningly good form. Since missing out on Olympic Gold last summer, Spain have won 10 of their past 13 games and lost just once. In their opening matches of the Euros, they secured comprehensive victories against Portugal (5-0) and then Belgium (6-2) with an average of 75.5% ball possession.
Spain have scored 11 goals in two games with Aitana Bonmatí on the bench – but all is not lost for their rivals…
Team news
Italy starting line-up: Laura Giuliani; Martina Lenzini, Cecilia Salvai, Elena Linari (C), Lisa Boattin; Elisabetta Oliviero, Manuela Giugliano, Arianna Caruso, Barbara Bonansea; Sofia Cantore; Martina Piemonte. Substitutes: Rachele Baldi, Francesca Durante, Lucia Di Guglielmo, Eva Schatzer, Emma Severini, Christiana Girelli, Julie Piga, Valentina Bergamaschi, Annamaria Serturini, Eleonora Goldoni, Giada Greggi,
Michela Cambiaghi.
Spain starting line-up: Adriana Nanclares; Jana Fernàndez, Irene Paredes (C), María Méndez, Leila Ouahabi; Aitana Bonmatí, Patri Guijarro, Alexia Putellas; Athenea del Castillo, Salma Paralluelo, Mariona Caldentey. Substitutes: Esther Sullastres, Cata Coll, Ona Batlle, Olga Carmona, Esther González, Laia Aleixandri, Cristina Martin-Prieto, Lucía García, Vicky López, Clàudia Pina, Alba Redondo, Maite Zubieta.
Here is what Group B is looking like right now:
1 – Spain – 6pts (9GD)
2 – Italy – 4pts (1GD)
3 – Portugal – 1pts (-5GD)
4 – Belgium – 0pts (-5GD)
Preamble
Hello, hola, ciao and welcome to coverage of the Euro 2025 group stage clash between Italy and Spain. Group B concludes today with two huge fixtures that will determine who progresses to the quarter-finals.
Spain have already booked their place in the knockouts, with just one more spot up for grabs. Italy currently sit second in the group on four points. Portugal have the chance to leapfrog them and finish second, although they will have to make up a goal difference of six. Should they defeat Belgium with a comfortable goal cushion and Italy lose to Spain, it could make things pretty interesting come the closing stages of play.
You don’t want to miss it. Kick-off for this one is at 8pm BST – join me!
