Spain have been dealt a huge blow on the eve of the Women’s Euros with captain Alexia Putellas ruled out for the tournament.
The Barcelona star and current Ballon d’Or Feminin holder suffered a knee injury in training at her country’s Bisham Abbey base ahead of their opener versus Finland.
On Tuesday, tests carried out at King Edward VII's Hospital in central London confirmed Putellas had ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament.
The exact timeframe of her absence has not been revealed but the 28-year-old will miss the tournament, hosted in England this summer.
Putellas last missed an international match in May 2019 and Spain were already missing all-time leading scorer Jenni Hermoso and Salma Paralluelo through injury in their bid to win their first-ever Euros.
After facing Finland in Milton Keynes to open their tournament on Friday, Spain face both Germany and Denmark in Brentford to round off their group stage.
