(Reuters) – Sweden’s women’s team will support their Spain counterparts if they decide to boycott their Nations League fixture this week, midfielder Filippa Angeldahl said on Tuesday.
After most of Spain’s World Cup-winning squad were called up on Monday the players said they would continue their boycott of the national team, though some reported for training under the threat of being sanctioned.
The boycott came after Spanish football federation (RFEF) President Luis Rubiales, who has since resigned, kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the World Cup trophy presentation ceremony in Australia.
Spain play Sweden in Gothenburg on Friday before taking on Switzerland in Cordoba next Tuesday as they make their debut in the Nations League, a competition that will determine which European teams qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Speaking about the possibility of Spain boycotting the match, Angeldahl told reporters: “It is a very difficult situation.
“They should know that they have all the support they need, that other countries support them in whatever decision they choose to take.
“If they feel they have to stage a boycott so that something gets done, obviously we will support them … I don’t think anyone wants to go through something like this. I think that mentally it takes a lot out of them.”
When asked if Sweden would boycott the match, Angeldahl said that was a decision for “other people higher up”.
Coach Peter Gerhardsson said the potential boycott had not affected Sweden’s preparations for the match.
“Naturally, we’d like to have that information but it isn’t anything that I need for this training session or for tomorrow,” Gerhardsson said.
“We haven’t even talked about it today and are not going to talk about it tomorrow either.”
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
