Finland has only things to win in the EC opening.

Helmarit held Thursday’s finishing practice on the grass of MK Stadium. José Breton

Finland’s EC tournament starts today.

According to the betting companies, Helmarit is the most unlikely champion candidate, and already the next place after three diamond-hard initial group matches would be a medium-sized football sensation.

– We are finally on the threshold of the opening match. The preparation has gone very well. Of course, we are excited about the Spain match, head coach Anna Signeul started in the press room at Milton Keynes Dons’ home stadium.

Around 16,000 tickets have already been sold for tonight’s match. If the local Mayan latecomers still get excited for the city’s rare football tournament match, more than 20,000 pairs of eyes can watch the blue and whites in the stands.

Signeul confirmed that she had been sick for the past few days Natalia Kuikka is back in full force and ready to play.

The Swedish outfielder is not known for his bold player experiments, so it is possible that the recovered Kuikka will be thrown straight into the deep end against the La Roja attackers.

– It will only be resolved after training. It’s possible he’s playing, Signeul hinted.

Putella on the side

Helmarie’s biggest star sat next to the head coach Linda Sällström. As a young promise, the forward was there to smell the atmosphere of the 2009 home games, but an injury deprived him of the summer of 2013 and the tournament in Sweden.

– Really, it’s been 13 years since I last played in the European Championships. Three anterior cruciate ligament injuries have fit in between, and the career was also on hold, Sällström said, beaming with joy.

– In recent years, I’ve had one more big dream: to experience one of the prestigious competitions.

Sällström’s dream will come true on Friday. Instead, he was chosen as the best player in the world Alixia Putellas is sure to be on the sidelines for the Finland match.

The Catalan also probably got a cruciate ligament injury in training, which according to statistics is 3-6 times more likely for female soccer players than for male players.

– It’s a huge shame for the whole tournament, for Spain and especially for himself. Getting hurt breaks hearts. Unfortunately, this is how football is, Signeul admitted.

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However, the absence of the Ballon d’Or winner is not necessarily visible in Spain’s game. The head coach Jorge Vilda has already had to build his team without its best scorer Jenni Hermoso.

– Spain is a great team regardless of who plays there. It is wrong to think that Putellas’ absence would weaken the team, Signeul emphasized.

“Only winnable”

Finland will face a tough test. Spain is the fifth best European team in the latest Fifa rankings.

That, too, probably distorts La Roja’s situation. The red shirts will hold the ball overwhelmingly while the Helmarien focus on protecting their own goal.

However, Signeul is not worried, even if the ball control percentage falls even below 30.

– We have already shown that we are a strong unit. We were already strong defensively in the qualifiers, but now we have developed in other areas as well.

– Finland is by no means an easy opponent.

However, the starting points favor Finland. No one expects success from Helmari, while Spain is practically forced to win.

No other result is enough for it in the group, which also includes the strong Denmark and the long-lasting European Championship winners Germany.

The setting is the same as in the port city of Gijón in the spring of 2013. After all, then the reigning world champion was tied with 1-1 Teemu Pukin surprised the Spanish central defenders.

– And we have to be very good in counter-attacks, Signeul said and at the same time cited the recipe for the “Miracle of Gijón”.

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On Friday, Helmarii will have a chance to make history.

– We believe in ourselves. We only have things to win. It’s only good if opponents underestimate us. We ourselves know that we can challenge any team from this group, Sällström said.

– We can hurt Spain. We know where to hit.

You can follow the European Championship opening of Spain and Finland on TV2 and Yle Areena from 18:15.