WFW: Berger’s brilliance denies France and Spain march on – Football Weekly

27:38And he kind of said, oh, there's a problem for Anne-Katrin Berger. And Lucy Ward on CoCom's was very much like, I don't think they're in this. I think she's OK. Yes. Right, so Germany progress. Over to Bern on Friday night where a sea of red and white decked out Stadion Wankdorf, the Swiss watching their side take on the world champions. And despite a courageous effort, just wasn't to be for the hosts. It finished Spain 2 at Switzerland 0 thanks to second half goals from Athenia del Castillo and Claudia Pina. You were at the stadium in Bern, Susie. 25 ,000 fans marching from the city centre to support their team and they put in a real courageous performance.

28:22What did you make of the game?

28:23Suzy Wrack:Well, first off, I mean, that atmosphere, I was saying afterwards, and maybe I'm just being coloured by the fact that it's the most recent thing, but I think that's the best stadium atmosphere I've ever been in. Like, it was absolutely electric. Beyond just support for the team, that was what got me. I wrote in the match report like there were signs like this is just the beginning and um you know women's football's here to stay and things like that it just felt like bigger than support for this Switzerland team like in a way you know you go to Champions League finals and the Barcelona fans are there to cheer for Barcelona and the Arsenal fans are there to cheer for Arsenal you go to you know the Euro final and you know everyone's there to support England and um in 2022 and that kind of stuff but this felt bigger it felt like people going you know this is this is our moment this is it and like the fact that you know they stayed so long afterwards and all that kind of stuff was just brilliant so that was like incredible in terms of the game itself I thought they matched that energy on the pitch like as much as you can against the world champions the fact that they held on so long and you know had such a battling like defensive performance was just brilliant to watch.

29:36Suzy Wrack:And it was great because literally every, well, every sort of foul, tackle, even pass was getting like huge cheer from the crowd. And, you know, the crowd being the 12th man can be like so overrated a phrase, but it really, really felt like that was having an impact in this game. I mean, obviously it was inevitable, like given Spain's quality, that they were going to find a way through at some point and that moment of magic from Bomatti, the little backwards backheel for the first goal to set up. Del Castillo was obviously sublime. It took that level. It took them elevating up a gear to break through that resilient Swiss back line.

30:18Suzy Wrack:So yeah, really enjoyable game to watch because the Swiss put on a show for their fans. They knew that the expectations were low and they put on a show for their fans and the atmosphere was just incredible. Yeah, it really was How crucial were Pia Sundhager's tactical changes for Switzerland's performance, Soph? Yeah, absolutely crucial She switched Iman Beny to up front Beny had been playing right wing back most of the tournament and she is naturally a striker but she's got the pace to really stretch the back line and you can see that from minute one and especially when you've got a back line of Paredes and Alexandre who aren't typically the fastest defenders and do struggle when they have direct runners running at them They looked to exploit that with Schürtel-Lib sitting in behind.

31:03I think the problem for Switzerland was always going to be how much they could keep their game plan up. You know, they are inexperienced. They've got a young team full of running, but at the end of the day, they haven't been in these situations before. And when you are without the ball, like you generally are against Spain, it's incredibly, incredibly tiring on their legs. So she got the game plan, I think, spot on tactically. She tried to switch it up. There were a few of those notes going around in the final 15 minutes. I think Leo Vulti got two of them. By the way, I thought Leo Vulti was superb as well.

31:36She led by example in that midfield. She's walking wounded. She came into this tournament not at her fittest, I think, but she's managed to plough through. I think the way that she dictated some of the midfield play when they did get the opportunity to break forward and also broke up some of the Spanish attacks led by example. She kind of epitomises this Switzerland team. So I think, yeah, when they're looking at the game back, it won't be down to the game plan or anything or the kind of attribution of it. It will be down to the fact that they just didn't have the legs. And in the end, you know, Spain have those quality players who can undo you in a moment.

32:15And when you're tired, especially, those moments of equality really matter. Switzerland's youngsters gained a lot of attention this tournament. But as Soph said, Susie, Leo Valti is the heart of the team, really.

32:27Suzy Wrack:Oh yeah and the fact that they you know sort of had her switching between midfield and defence like sitting back between the two centre backs but then shifting forward into that sort of more familiar defensive midfield position. getting forward as well like she was just everywhere I think it could be massively underestimated in a game like that where you have barely any of the ball how much running you have to do off the ball and how hard that is is you know could be a little bit underestimated but like yeah phenomenal and as I said like in and out of the Arsenal team at the towards sort of the second half of the season like niggly problems but also just you know not necessarily always playing uh the best or preferred to you know some some of the other players in that team but really pulled out the bag and it's really quite moving to see her so emotional at the end of each game like just looking at the crowds and soaking it all in um because she's been and she's such a wonderful ambassador for the tournament.

33:36Suzy Wrack:Her face is absolutely everywhere. And she's really, really taken it on really humbly. And it's been really, really nice. Yeah. We need to talk about Spain, Tim. We're used to them looking free-flowing, you know, simple, effortless, but they look really infuriated a lot of this game and probably the most frustrated. and gosh that was a Dr Evil kind of laugh that was. They looked very frustrated. Probably the most so that we've seen them in this tournament. They had to show so much patience while obviously playing as they knew that they would be with a boisterous partisan crowd surrounding them but eventually the class kind of showed out and the magic came.

34:23It really did and obviously it's quite a unique thing to play the hosts in a knockout. you probably, even if Switzerland weren't the best team left in the tournament, I think that is significant, playing the host team. But I think ultimately, I mean, first of all, obviously, we had Mariana's penalty miss in the first half, where she just kind of drags at it a bit. And I think if that had gone in, I think we'd have probably seen quite a different game. But really, with Spain, it's a little bit similar to England. Like, if it's just not going their way, who and what they can bring off the bench.

34:55Obviously, it's Athenia del Castillo who scores the goal from the bench. They can bring on Salma as well. And it's not just the quality of those players, but those players are very different. They provide a much more direct threat as well. So Spain actually have the tools to really switch things up as well, a bit like England do. And I think that's why Spain and England just look like the best teams in the tournament. They don't always look like, in every phase of the game, the best teams. Spain are probably closest to that. but the players they can bring off the bench can really kind of demoralise you.

35:27And for Switzerland, I just think we're talking about Germany having those hold-up players. I think Switzerland done really well this tournament. I think they've really missed Ramona Backman just as that little bit of experience in the forward line. They've got some wonderful young players but they just didn't have an outlet and you did just feel that Spain were putting the squeeze on them. They are the Swiss army knives, aren't they? I mean, they're gold and Toblerone, Spain and England, but they're actually the Swiss army knives, if we're using our mascot analogy that we've had on the pod during the tournament.

36:00Let's talk about the legacy for Switzerland, though, Soph. I mean, the country really got behind their team. 25 ,000 on that walk is incredible. How do they capitalise now on this moment? It's all well and good. This three weeks has been wonderful and captured the nation, but now they need to build on it. How do they do that? It's going to be a tricky question to answer, but you kind of, when I was in the stadium on Friday, it was a really emotional occasion, I think, being there. Very, very special. And the way that you could see the Swiss fans embrace their team, there's a real bond now that's being forged between the players on the pitch and players, as we said before, who are generally quite young.

36:41So those players are going to be playing for the next, you know, five to ten years in a red and white shirt. So they've made those links with the fans, right, for the future, they've done their bit. It's now up to the Swiss FA to go away and do their bit and they need to make sure that they're very, very well prepared, that this isn't just a moment in time. They are not going to get this chance again. Switzerland, because they are the manner of a country that they are, they're small, they are a developing nation in terms of women's football, they aren't going to get a major tournament, I don't think, again, unless they combine with someone else because of where the women's game is going.

37:16so they really do have to use this moment they have to have the infrastructure in place to allow young girls to play all over the country to play football from a young age to give them access to access like access to facilities and give them investment and they really have I really hope they are prepared we've seen I know it's a very very different circumstance with England because England the investment the FA have put into women's football is like vastly like incomparable but I do think they prove that you can have a legacy from hosting a major tournament in terms of what happened in England.

37:47And I really, really hope the Swiss FA are alive to that fact that they need to really... And then in terms of the fans and supporters, when the Swiss team next play at home, make sure you put them in a place that's accessible, that is big, that you could get 30 ,000 people, put them in Basel where there's a big stadia. You just need to make it keep onto those hooks that really brought people into this tournament because otherwise it's just going to be a wasted opportunity. it reminds me a little bit of Euro 2017 Netherlands but something Netherlands did really well was started hosting open training sessions every time they played in the country and I'd love to see Switzerland even do something like that just to keep the kind of links between the fans and the team yeah it'd be really important won't it we'll keep an eye on that for sure that's it for part one and part two with the last four now decided we're going to look ahead to the two semi-finals coming up this week

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40:15Welcome back to part two of the Guardian Women's Football Weekly. So the quarterfinals complete. We have two massive semifinals to look forward to this week. We're left with the gold, the Toblerone, the railway clock and aluminium foil. It is not a game of Monopoly. A very interesting Swiss version of Monopoly. These are the mascots assigned to the last four. First up, let's look at the Lionesses who take on Italy in Geneva on Tuesday. Eight o 'clock British summertime, that game starts. The Dark Horses against the reigning European champions. How do you see this one going, Susie? Who knows?

40:57Suzy Wrack:um like I mean like does anyone have an answer this part no no one no one can predict anything everything's out the window like I mean I'm quite worried for England to be honest like you know in theory on paper they should be Italy comfortably but they've played 120 minutes and penalties and picked up a lot of knocks in the Sweden game you know like if Leah's not back which Esme Morgan said yesterday she's hopeful they're sort of hopeful and confident that she will be I'm not sure how true that is I don't think England are going to give anything away before that game on her fitness to be honest and yeah I fear for the extra day that Italy have had as well to rest and recover so whilst you know on paper it should be a straightforward win for England I'm just not confident of anything or anyone anymore I've forgotten all rules of football and yeah, who knows?

41:54Well, the rules of football are that we get our predictions wrong. So you need to vote tactically when we get to our predictions. Italy will win. Well done. Well, Tom Gary on the pod the other day thinks that they left so much out there in their quarterfinal, Italy, in the celebrations and everything, that that was their race run. It felt like they were celebrating winning the final. At least they've had longer to adjust. But that could, you know, come into it. It's the best showing that they've had since 1997. But actually, the last time these two sides met, Soph, was in February 2024. So 18 months ago, it was a friendly and England won it 5-1.

42:38But it feels like very, very different times. How different are both these teams to then? I mean, I think they are very different in terms of both have gone on journeys. I think Italy's journey since the 2023 World Cup has been quite remarkable in terms of the way they've rebuilt and regenerated a side that was arguably looking like it was going a bit backwards after the positivity of 2019 and that. So I think it's, Andrea Sonson's done really well for me and he's really instilled a style of playing that they really, like it really works with the kind of players that he has. and for England I mean my thing with England is that I am always very well aware that out of tournaments they are an up and down team and they always have been like they've never really performed consistently bar Serena Viefen's 33 game unbeaten streak which is I mean should be unheard of these days but it's generally unheard of England have always been up and down I've been into some like pre-tournament friendlies that have been truly dire and then they go and reach the semi-finals and this is England's sixth semifinal on the trot.

43:44So I do think both teams, well, I think it's not a new experience for England, so that will help them. And so they will build on that friendly performance, I think, and know how they broke Italy down and use that as an experience in the further experience of being in a semifinal. Firstly, it's totally new and you do sometimes wonder whether the emotion of an occasion will get the better of them. But there's no doubting this. They're two very different sides from that moment in February 2024. Italy have impressed at times in this tournament though Tim where do you see their biggest threats and their weaknesses?

44:18Their biggest threat I think they were really good at exposing Norway out wide they really saw that that was a weakness in Norway that does make me worry from an England perspective particularly Cantore if she plays on the right for Italy I think if anyone watching England at the moment you'd have to say defensively they look a lot weaker down their left side as well so Cantore I think Very, very kind of direct player. I expect her to attack that space a lot. The other thing I think Italy might do as well, because they can be quite a direct team, I don't think anyone's challenged England in the air yet without Millie Bright, because it's not Leo Williamson's biggest strength.

44:55It's certainly not Jess Carter's biggest strength. I don't think anyone's really put that to the test yet and really put England under pressure aerially. So I do wonder if Italy will play Piemonte, who played for Everton up front, as just that big kind of target player, really kind of put herself about. And particularly with Cantore on the right-hand side, putting crosses in, that's kind of how Italy scored both their goals against Norway as well. So I'd be aware of those wide areas and I'd be interested to see if Italy really just try and challenge England there by being quite direct. Well, it did feel as if Sweden were trying to have the height advantage in that quarterfinal.

45:34And that's why we saw Esme Morgan come on because it did make a difference having a little bit more height in the back line. But it's going to be really fascinating, Susie, to see what Serena Wiegmann does because she's stuck with the same starting XI for the last three matches and they were very poor for 60 minutes against Sweden before they mounted that comeback. A lot of focus has been on Jess Carter, obviously exposed down the left-hand side in the France match in the opening game, switched into centre-back. We know what a brilliant player she is, but the pace perhaps against some of the younger players just isn't quite there.

46:12Do you see Serena Vigman making any changes tactically, either to personnel or to both? Swapping players out or just changing formation again?

46:22Suzy Wrack:I think she should, but I don't think she will. Because once she's picked a starting XI, she very much sticks through a tournament, regardless of what's going on. I thought that Jess Carter would be dropped for the Sweden game. I thought she'd be dropped for the Netherlands game and she wasn't. And they've shifted her across the back line pretty much entirely through the tournament bar right back to try and make sure it works. You know, in the middle of the Sweden game, her and Leah switched so that Leah could start pinging some of the diagonals out to Lucy Bronze on the right, which Jess Carter just doesn't like that's not really her skill set.

46:58Suzy Wrack:so yeah personally I would but I don't think she will but I think we might see some enforced changes maybe if Leah's not back then that's a huge huge huge huge problem LJ was limping at the end you know could we see her perhaps drop down to the bench and maybe like Chloe Kelly start or someone like that or Beth Mead and then and then she maybe comes on in the game I think if there are going to be any changes it will be purely from a fitness and availability point of view over like any like sort of tactical changes because she sticks a back three would make sense as well you know to help deal with that threat like yeah when when they when they switched it it worked and yes she does need to twist I feel sometimes um Serena but you know she knows the team better than anybody.

47:50And then again,

47:51Suzy Wrack:I was like clamouring, clamouring for changes to come earlier in that Sweden game, going, what the hell are they doing? Why have they wait? Like usually, should they make changes at 60 minutes? They made the first changes at 70 minutes, but England were playing terribly. Like, but what do I know? They're going to win that match. So, you know, like... And listen, all the plaudits for the resilience that they showed. I mean, it would be a fantastic final of Germany-England just in terms of resilience and backs against the wall kind of tournament. However, would we be having this conversation? And of course, this is football.

48:23This is, you know, it's happened. So I'm making this up. But if Sweden hadn't been so terrible at penalties, we'd be having a very, very different conversation, wouldn't we? Because I think all of us agree that England didn't necessarily deserve to go through. I mean, obviously, they did deserve to go through because they went through. But on the performance, it wasn't very good. Sweden bottled it about 50 times in one game. Exactly. I mean, it's like, no, no, no, we don't want it. You have it. No, go on, you go. It's just like nobody wanted it. It felt. But ultimately, England got it. And that is the mark of champions and why, you know, they're looking to go and defend their title and get to the final yet again.

49:09By the way, I was about to mention that I thought Kira Walsh, potentially she looked like she was getting treatment towards the end as well. Of course, Alex Greenwood had that nasty fall. We saw her then step up to take her penalty. Did that affect her? The strapping that Lucy Bronze had. I mean, they are the walking wounded, it feels. We used the word bruising encounter on multiple occasions when we did the pod a couple of days ago. But I want to ask you about Christiana Giorelli, Soph, because I know you're a massive fan of hers and I can see the smile on your face the minute I say her name.

49:40The Italian captain is going to make her 123rd appearance on Tuesday. I mean, she just is a leader, isn't she? Yeah, she is. She epitomises this Italian team. And this is why I maybe disagree a little bit with Tim because I don't think they're benching Christiana Giorelli for this game. I think they'll be worn on Andrea Sonson's hands if that happened. She is going to be playing that semifinal and you could just see it in her face after the court final, the emotion that it meant. She provides a real intelligence, I think, to this team that while they have individual players, maybe isn't cohesive throughout the setup where they have weaknesses.

50:18But I think the fact that a lot of them played together, I think the fact that, you know, Barbara Bonazier and her have been on this journey together for 12 years. They've literally lived in each other's pockets in the national team and now Juventus. And the same with Sofia Cantore. I know she's just moved to America, but she's been at Juventus. Those relationships are built up at club level, and they then replicate themselves on the national stage, and I think that's why they are being successful at the moment. Giurelli has an instinctive eye for goal. Her movement is so clever. The way that she just lost...

50:48I know Guru Raiden isn't a natural left-back, but the way that she just lost for that winner, that just deft little movement away from her, just shows exactly what a kind of striker she is. And then she can go with the spectacular as well, as we saw against Portugal. So she's got it all. I think she will be very up for this. You know, she's had a long career with this national team. She's 35. It isn't given that she's going to make another major tournament at this stage. So if this is going to be her final hurrah, as it were, I mean, she's already achieved so much by getting to the semifinals.

51:21But I think she will be absolutely pumped up to get them one step further and go to a final. But I think, you know, I am such a big fan of hers. I think she's such a natural striker. And while on Tuesday I won't be her biggest fan, that's for sure, I think we can all appreciate what she's done for this sport and what she's done for Italian sport as well. Because, you know, we're in a press box in the game in Geneva for the quarterfinal. There's barely any Italian press there, bar the ball crosses. There's so much to do in Italy. And what this team have achieved on this stage at this point hopefully is going to start that change because they are so far behind in terms of the support and infrastructure of the nation behind them.

52:01So I think it's going to be a real, really impactful moment. I'm wondering what the fan base will be like, actually, bearing in mind, you know, we're in Switzerland and the crowd inside the Stade de Gineve is going to be heavily Italian, you would hope, Tim. Could that potentially play a part? Yeah, it could very well, particularly if Italy do kind of bunker in a little bit, like we saw Switzerland do. I'm not sure they'll go to that extent. they'll probably will have like a little bit of home advantage there and and obviously this is just such a massive game for them as well and on the point of Girelli and Bonanza as well it's I kind of I don't want to say feel sorry for them but Italy just haven't been cohesive for so many years and now they are and they feel like they're more than the sum of their parts but perhaps at a point where Girelli and Bonanza are kind of exiting their prime years I almost feel sorry that this didn't happen sooner when they were kind of much more towards their prime but they can definitely give England problems we know that but again with England I just think the amount of depth they have on the bench and even being able to bring on someone like Michel Ajamang you know and that's part of that's part of what makes England's mentality I think I don't think it's just mentality it's being able to bring on massive players with 20 minutes to go yeah it's going to be a fascinating game Tuesday night for that one and Germany-Spain is going to follow in Zurich the following day as the two top FIFA-ranked European teams come face-to-face.

53:33Spain will probably have been licking their lips watching Germany's quarterfinal go to extra time. Susie, they're going to feel it's there for the taking for them.

53:41Suzy Wrack:Oh yeah, both Italy and Spain will be very, very delighted that the other teams A, played a day later than them and, you know, played 120 minutes plus penalties. I mean, in theory foregone conclusion but who knows I'm fully expecting a Germany red card of some kind of escalating nature as well like we've had handball we've had a hair pull I think it's got to be a leg breaker or a punch in the face is like the next step I hope not and then anything is possible but I think Germany have a lot to take from that quarterfinal against France in this respect in that you know they when they were down to 10 players you know and basically had to relinquish a lot of control of the ball and you know play on the counter that's the type of game you need to play against Spain so you need a perfect defensive performance but you know you can score against them and catch them on the break so I think there's there's lessons to be taken from that France game that actually could really aid them in their task against Spain so you know I'm not I mean you know obviously they've got suspensions and things and injuries but I've I'm not betting against them anymore at any point.

54:55Well, Christian Vuk's got some massive decisions to make. I mean, his squad is absolutely decimated. So, Katrien Hendrick and Shukhan Nushkan unavailable through suspension. Sri Linder, his left back turn right back, was forced off in the first half. Her replacement, Sofia Kleinharm, pulled up at the end of the match. What does he do against a team like Spain who tend to control the ball and the tempo? So, is it all about playing on the counter? Yeah, I think it would have been great practice what they did against France because it isn't in books nature to set up a team like that. And the fact that they did manage to kind of rely on that kind of defensive solidity for so long will serve them well.

55:37I do want to go on a little rant here. I don't understand how, I understand it's a short tournament, but I don't understand how getting an accumulation of yellow cards gets you the same suspension as getting a red card. It just boggles my mind. You know, I'm really, really feel for Nuskan. She, you know, she had a really, really brilliant game apart from the penalty miss and that yellow card and she put everything into it. She scored the equaliser. She was everywhere. She was running her socks off. And then that yellow card destroys her appearance in a semi-final and could be her last appearance in the tournament.

56:09And then you have someone like either Carlotto Bamzer or, you know, Hendrik, who gets straight red cards and they get the same punishment because it's just a one-game suspension. It just boggles my mind, so I just thought I'd mention that. No, I think that is a justified rant. But Christian Vuk, he has problems on his hands, that's for sure, you know, with the injuries. Bamzer is back, so that's a positive, I guess, at right back. You have a bit more cover. And I thought Francisca Kett really performed admirably. She's 20 years old. she had like seven Bundesliga appearances this season so she's really inexperienced a phenomenal talent but pretty inexperienced and she came in against France and performed admirably especially when the game plan changed so quickly you know she started as a wing back and then she had to push forward so she had to adapt in that game a little bit so I think it or um yeah I think she will come she will probably stay at the left back if Linda Linda is not fit I think Linda's foot had more taping on it than I've ever seen in my entire life watching football.

57:04So that didn't look particularly positive. But I think that game against France will give her the world of confidence if she is to come in against Spain and start again. But yeah, he has definitely got a depth problem, I think. He's going to have to rely on some of his older players. You know, Dalman only came on for the penalty shootout. De Brits came on for the penalty shootout, missed a penalty, which is slightly awkward. But they're two experienced players that he can call in if he really needs to kind of cover that lack of depth at the moment.

57:31Suzy Wrack:I need to express some pure anger as well at the lack of 26-player squads for this tournament. Like, they increased it from 23 to 26 for the men's. Like, look at England's game against Sweden the other night. Like, 17 players were involved in that. Like, when we look at the state of Germany's squad at the moment, their lack of right-back cover now, like, all of those various issues. Like, why? Why is it different? Like it makes the tournament worse. It makes watching it worse because you're not getting the level of quality you would necessarily want on the pitch in each game. You're impacting player welfare because players are having to play when they're not necessarily 100%.

58:11Suzy Wrack:And we know why, right? We know it's most likely about the cost of maybe the extra accommodation and the extra travel for players and the, you know, all those various things. the extra money that goes to clubs afterwards for their players having competed in the tournament. Like the budget for the women's Euros is smaller, but I'm not being funny, put player welfare first. Like they increased it to 26 for the men for a reason and they've not done it for the women. So this is a very, very rare occurrence for me. I will slightly defend UEFA only in terms of there are more teams in the men's game.

58:47They have a last 16. They play another game. Listen, I agree with you, but for balance, I think it's important to say that it might not just all be down to cost. That might be part of it additionally. Soph? I would agree with Susie. I think it's a financial decision about trying to host a tournament and keep the budget as tight as they possibly can. And what UEFA have asked of these players over the last years, this is the last of a back-to-back major tournament of five years since the pandemic or something. These players are non-stop. They had the Olympics last year, the World Cup the year before, the Euros the year before that.

59:25It's been an absolute bonkers schedule for a group of players who by and large have just turned professional full-time in the last six, seven years. And their bodies are still starting to come back up to being full-time and living that kind of elite professional life. And you're asking, you've suddenly put all of this game time and pressure on top of it. so I think there are big questions to be asked of UEFA around player welfare for sure and certainly they could easily ease it by just adding three more players to a playing squad it's really not that hard yeah well balance is important and you know we don't know for a fact that that is their decision making just as an aside by the way we didn't even mention the fact when we were going through the Germany France game that Shukhanushkin not only missed a penalty she then stepped up to take a penalty in the shootout and scored it.

1:00:17I mean, that is impressive behaviour. And there's going to be, you know, lots of areas this game could be won and lost. Tim, what do you think we need to be looking out for in this game? I think Germany have got the tools to hurt Spain, actually. I think, you know, Susie and Soph have both said that probably the France game was good practice for them and they are going to have to bunker in and they're not going to have to kind of bomb their full backs on. but I just think that kind of Hoffman-Brant ball front three particularly with how high Spain have their defensive line I really can see in my mind's eye a kind of clara ball through ball for Eula-Brant to run on to and I do think Spain leave those gaps we perhaps didn't see it against Switzerland but we did see them vulnerable in the group stage two counter-attacks because of how much they pincer you and push forward so I wouldn't say I fancy Germany I do fancy Spain to win this, but I think Germany will make it really hard for them.

1:01:15And unlike Switzerland, they're going to have that threat going in the other direction. So I think this will be quite a tight game, actually. Yeah, I agree with you completely. So Spain are looking for their first European trophy, whereas Germany are obviously season winners of the tournament. They've won eight European Championship titles. First time as well for Spain, similar to Italy, Susie, that they've reached the semifinals since 1997. 97 is that going to come into things at all no like for me I think too much has been made of this

1:01:46Suzy Wrack:um you know it's been said a lot oh it's their first uh semi-final since 97 you know oh it's a really hard task for them blah blah it's such a different team and the development of women's football in Spain and the women's national team has been rapid and so it's not like they're they're new kids on the block but they are very very very good nucleus kids on the block to a certain extent Like, you know, if they were the team they are now, like last time out, they were unlucky not to get past England. The time before that, they weren't a big international team. That's the reality. So it's not like it's been a, you know, they've just been really rubbish for years.

1:02:26Suzy Wrack:They've not been at that level. Like they've just not like developmentally have not been at that level. So I don't think it's going to be a big factor. You know, the world champions, because they've like, you know, everything is coming together for them. the talent pool has reached that point of development the quality of players that Barcelona in particular are producing is delivering for the national team like so it's been said a lot and you know oh it's the it's the one they're missing but they've they've not really been in it until fairly recently so I think that the that it's not like it's not like a millstone around their neck in the same way it could be for say a France who have you know sort of perennially underachieved Spain haven't they they've achieved relative to you know where they were sort of at until they suddenly exploded onto the scene so yeah I don't I don't think it will be hugely detrimental to them at all it's just one of those weird quirks of sort of like the uneven development of women's football and yeah Spain are it's you know same in same in terms of like say the women's champions league in Barcelona like they're relatively new kids on the box but um they're very very very good now and that's the difference.

1:03:38Okay so it comes to predictions. Who's nailing their colours to the mast? Who are the two finalists? Tim? I'm gonna say Spain versus England which is to be fair what I and I think a lot of people probably thought at the outset of the tournament. I think they'll both be relatively close semi-finals. I don't think there are any guarantees but I'll say Spain England final definitely.

1:04:00Suzy Wrack:Soph? Spain England. Susie? How tactical do I be okay Italy Germany?

1:04:11Italy Germany okay okay do you want it to be England Spain?

1:04:17Suzy Wrack:No I want it to be England Germany but it would probably be England Spain but I actually do think Italy could cause an upset I I really do. Like England are tired. And I agree with Tim. I think the squad depth is significant for England and will probably make the difference in that game. But England have been really lucky. And I think that luck could run out at some point before the final, which would be this next game. Fascinating. Fascinating. Right. The Women's Africa Cup of Nations is also into the semi-final stage. Hosts Morocco booked their place with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Mali in Rabat, with striker Ibtissam Girardi scoring twice, meaning they reached their second consecutive WAFCON semifinal, and will face Ghana, who knocked out Algeria on penalties.

1:05:04The game itself finished goalless after extra time, but Cynthia Conlon was the hero for the Black Queens, saving two penalties. And defending champion South Africa survived a scare against Senegal, who had booked their place in the quarterfinals as one of the two best third-place teams. They took the Banyana Banyana all the way to penalties after another goalless draw after extra time, but they won the shootout 4-1 and will face 11-time champions Nigeria, who had a more comfortable 5-0 demolition of Zambia. Both those semifinals take place on Tuesday, so Nigeria against South Africa and Morocco against Ghana.

1:05:40Some domestic news to wrap up for you as well. Newly promoted WSL side London City Lionesses have signed goalkeeper Sophia Poore on a permanent transfer from Aston Villa. The 19-year-old spent the second half of last season, you'll remember, on loan, helping them to promotion. Liverpool have completed the signing of Scotland midfielder Sam Kerr on a reported two-year deal. She made 14 appearances for the Reds last season on loan from Bayern Munich. And WSL2 side Newcastle United have signed Aoife Mannion on a permanent deal. The Republic of Ireland defender was a free agent after leaving Manchester United in June.

1:06:14Right. Hopefully you lot have got a little bit of extra rest as we head into the semifinals, two days before Italy and England kick off. Soph, look after yourself, please. Thank you. I will do. I'm going to go and just chill out. Good idea. Tim Stillman, enjoy your Sunday. My pleasure as always. Thanks for having me. Susie, find a different something to eat rather than cheese. What else can you have? Pretzels. I've eaten a lot of pretzels. Excellent. Okay. Pretzel chat on Wednesday. Fingers crossed for the Lionesses. We'll be back on Wednesday to review that semifinal against Italy. Keep having a say.

1:06:51Send in your questions via social media or email us at women's football weekly at theguardian.com. And as ever, a reminder to sign up for our bi-weekly women's football newsletter. All you need to do is search moving the goalposts. Sign up. The Guardian Women's Football Weekly is produced by Sophie Downey and Silas Gray. Music composition was by Laura Iredell. Our executive producer is Salamat.

1:07:15This is The Guardian.

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