“Protect me from what?” Jenni Hermoso criticizes the Spanish national team’s squad

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Spanish international Jenni Hermoso, who was left out of new selector Montse Tomé’s first call-up, believes that nothing has changed in the Royal Spanish Federation (RFEF) and the call-up of players who asked not to be called up is “another strategy of division and manipulation” .

Hermoso was left out of the squad and the new coach justified his absence as a form of protection, since it was President Luis Rubiales’ kiss to the player that gave rise to the controversy in Spanish football and the director’s departure.

In a statement, Hermoso disagrees with the attitude: “Protect me from what? We spent weeks, months, looking for that protection that we couldn’t find within the RFEF itself. The same people who ask us for confidence are those who today launch a list of players who asked not to be summoned.”

After Rubiales’ kiss, the world champions announced their desire not to return to the national team until structural changes were implemented in the RFEF. Negotiations continued without an agreement, but the new selector called up 15 players anyway.

Jenni Hermoso believes that the stance of the RFEF and the new selector is “another strategy of division and manipulation to intimidate us and threaten us with legal repercussions and economic sanctions”.

“Another indisputable proof that shows that nothing has changed today and that confirms why we are fighting and how we are doing it. I want to express my full support to my colleagues who were surprised today and forced to react to yet another regrettable situation caused by the people who today continue to make decisions within the RFEF”, it can also be read.

Tomé guaranteed that the players would find a safe environment. Hermoso finds irony in the new selector’s statements: “They tried to argue that the environment would be safe for my colleagues when, at the same press conference, it was announced that they would not call me up to protect myself.”

Last Friday, 39 players, including 21 of the 23 world champions (the only ones not signed were Claudia Zornoza, who hours later announced her goodbye to the national team, and Athenea), asked the RFEF to restructure the women’s football organization chart and assured that the changes made are “not enough” to make them feel “in a safe place”.

They also called for the resignation of the president of the RFEF, who is temporarily Pedro Rocha, and the restructuring of the communication and marketing areas and the integrity department, considering that the changes made since the World Cup “are not enough”

The statement led to the postponement of the call for Nations League games until this Monday, with 15 players who were at the World Cup on the list, but not Jenni Hermoso, the player who was at the center of the controversy that began with the kiss from the then federative president. , Luis Rubiales.

The champion coach, Jorge Vilda, was also removed, having been replaced by Montse Tomé. The RFEF issued a statement earlier this afternoon reinforcing its commitment to structural renewal, but the Spanish press reported that there was no agreement between the two parties .

Spain is expected to begin its Nations League campaign, which will qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, against Sweden, in Gothenburg, on Wednesday, and then host Switzerland, in Córdoba, on September 26th.