Scotland Women's Football Team

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Pedro Martinez Losa is confident Scotland can navigate a tricky route to the 2025 Euros after learning their opponents in qualifying.

The Scots were drawn in a group with Serbia, Slovakia and Israel with the first round of fixtures to be played next month, and Martinez Losa admits he would have preferred not to play Serbia.

"We wanted to avoid Serbia to be honest," he said.

"They are a very difficult opponent, very competitive, they did very well against Portugal and Iceland but we cannot change the draw now. We are confident we can beat the three opponents.

"It is challenging because it is international football so we just have to prepare and take it one game at a time but this team is prepared to face these three opponents."

With Scotland in League B, they face the prospect of play-offs after the group stage, but the Scotland boss isn't worried about a potentially complicated route to the Euros.

"It may look complicated but for us it is now clear," he said. "It is about doing well in the group and winning two play-offs.

"We are ready, excited and confident that we can compete against any opponent.

"I think the motivation is the opportunity for players and staff. Representing Scotland is always a privilege and it would be unique for me and all our staff so we are excited and united for that."

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Scotland midfielder Caroline Weir has returned to Real Madrid training five months after she ruptured her ACL in a Nations League draw against Belgium.

The 28-year-old required surgery and has been on the sidelines ever since but Real Madrid have taken to social media, external to share pictures of Weir back in training.

Weir's return is a big boost to Scotland as they prepare for their Euro 2025 qualifying campaign that gets under way in April.

Leanne Crichton catches up with Rachel Corsie to chat about Scotland's Pinatar Cup campaign.

They recap the last two matches, give insight from the Scotland camp and look ahead to next week's Euro 2025 draw.

Listen and subscribe to full episodes here.

Scotland head coach Pedro Martinez Losa: "I am very happy with the performance. I think we had a very complete game in possession, out of possession, the levels of commitment were very good at high pressing and counter-pressing. There were so many arrivals in the final third and that efficiency in the final third that we discussed before, but, we played against a very serious opponent who play very good football and I think it was a very good test that helps us to develop the team.

"The mood is okay and stable. We wanted to win, we were excited about that, we had worked a lot as players and staff for that but at the end, the lottery of the penalties created the disappointment.

"In the second half we were ready for other scenarios because the wind would condition a lot of our ability to get out of the press but I think we were excellent in many moments. We dominated the opponent, even with the substitutions they brought a lot of energy and had an incredible impact on the team, every player was assuming the role.

"We needed a little bit of recovery and reconnection from the competitive aspect and I think we are totally connected now and believe in what we can do.

"We are competing against Finland who are in League A right now, we beat them before, we had a feeling now that we could be the better team. Before my arrival, the feeling was not so good when we competed against Finland and were eliminated from the Euro qualifiers, not even able to play the play-offs. Now it is about a pattern of competing well against Finland, against Belgium but we want more.

"I think being a national team head coach there is always the pressure of getting results, about playing well and winning games. These two friendly matches were helping us to reconnect with those feelings, to make sure we all have confidence in that.

"Now the real pressure football-wise and competitive wise comes when you want to qualify for the Euros. "

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Scotland defender Sophie Howard spoke to BBC Scotland following the defeat on penalties against Finland in the Pinatar Cup final, which followed a 1-1 draw.

"They had one chance in the first half and they capitalised, which is frustrating, disappointing and not good enough from us, but the fact that we came back shows who we are," she said.

"We are Scottish, we have neglected that a bit in the past and I think today was a massive shift to come back and we dominated most of the game.

"I think we deserved to win in the 90 minutes."

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Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland in Pinatar

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Head coach Pedro Martinez Losa believes Scotland are in "the best scenario" as they prepare for their Pinatar Cup final against Finland.

The Scots are searching for their second success in the tournament, having been crowned inaugural winners back in 2020. They're also looking to enter the upcoming Euro 2025 qualifiers - which begin in April - in the best shape, and the Spaniard believes they are on course to doing just that.

“Every camp has a new dynamic," he told BBC Scotland.

"I think it was great that on the first day we were building better levels of execution, better levels of standards then to today, I think it was probably one of the best training sessions in terms of energy – that is something we can repeat and build.

"We always have that feeling on the last day of camp that we would like a little bit more time, but we are here to win games and prepare the group for that. This is the best scenario where we can be."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland in Pinatar

From self-acclaimed "gallus Alice" to 100 club member. It's been quite the 14 years in a Scotland jersey for Lisa Evans.

As proud as the 31-year-old Bristol City winger is at reaching that milestone, her full focus is on the next 100, which she hopes will include appearances at next summer's European Championships.

Having missed out on the last two major tournaments, after previously appearing at the 2017 Euros and the 2019 World Cup, Evans is hungrier than ever to be back on the big stage.

"I regard us as one of the best teams in Europe, so we need to be there, we deserve to be there," the former Arsenal and Bayern Munich star told BBC Scotland.

"It's important we are on the main stage and competing against the teams that we have been in the Nations League – they're the teams that we want to be playing and to do that, we need to be at major tournaments."

To get there, Scotland will need to successively negotiate their way through the qualifying campaign, which begins in April. Evans cannot wait, as that means more time with the squad she loves.

“Pedro and the staff feel like they don’t get enough time with us and we’re the same, we’d all love to have more time together," she added.

"It is invaluable that when we do come away, we get together and gel as quickly as possible.

“Our biggest strength is the environment that we create for each other. You guys were lucky enough to see us on a good day, but the vibes are always very good, very positive and I feel as though it is an environment you can thrive in."

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Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland in Pinatar

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Pedro Martinez Losa caught up with BBC Sport out in Spain to preview Scotland's Pinatar Cup final against Finland on Tuesday.

Here are the key lines:

• Squad produced "one of the best training sessions in terms of energy" today, in their final run-out of this camp.

• He said "Finland are going to expose us to other standards," and stressed it will be "a difficult game against a good team, particularly in possession".

• Martinez Losa believed Slovenia were the better side in their semi-final against Finland, something that "wouldn't have been thought of two or three years ago" which shows the "evolution" of the women's game.

• The head coach believes he has a "proper squad" not just a team.

• Martinez Losa said this is "the best scenario" Scotland could be in heading into April's Euro qualifiers.

BBC Scotland's Amy Canavan looks ahead to Scotland's Pinatar Cup final against Finland from Spain.

Image source, Amy Canavan

Amy Canavan, BBC Sport Scotland in Pinatar

I know I'm going on about it, but they really are crazy conditions out here in Spain. I can hear the irony, I know...

But ask most players, and they'll say the forecast they least like to play in is wind. Give them rain, sleet or snow any day.

Goalscorer Martha Thomas admitted as much post-match, although the way she took her two goals, you wouldn't have noticed.

Lost hats and broken seats. Here was me thinking I might come home with a bit of a tan... Feel like I'm at Gayfield.

Away to look around local shops for thermals for Tuesday's final against Finland...

Image source, Amy Canavan