Holders Spain seek to turn ‘suffering’ into success in final

World champions Spain were barely recognisable in the first leg of the women's Nations League final as they escaped from Germany with a goalless draw.

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Sonia Bermudez’s side had had to “suffer” in Kaiserslautern on Friday, but they are hoping to return to their sparkling best for the decisive second leg at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on Tuesday.

Their task will be made harder by the absence of Aitana Bonmati, after she suffered a leg fracture in training on Sunday which will keep her out of the game and potentially for months ahead.

Even with the three-time Ballon d’Or winner they struggled badly last week and needed goalkeeper Cata Coll to frequently come to their rescue, to the extent that Spanish daily Marca joked that the stopper would be “banned from entering Germany” in future.