Aitana Bonmati leaves Spain camp after suffering fractured fibula with Barcelona Femeni star facing lengthy spell on sidelines

Spain will have to face Germany in the second leg of the UEFA Nations League final without their best player on Tuesday. The sides played out a goalless draw in Germany on Friday in the first leg and their task of taking the title will be made more complicated without the presence of Bonmati in the middle of the park.

Spain, who have already missed out on one major title in 2025 having lost to England on penalties in the European Championship this summer, will be determined to lift the Nations League trophy at the Metropolitano in Madrid.

Success in the Spanish capital is not a foregone conclusion though, with Germany providing consistent stubbornness against La Roja. In the European Championship, the Germans held strong to take the semi-final into extra-time, but could not keep Spain and Bonmati out forever and the superstar eventually broke through Ann-Katrin Berger’s defiance to fire Spain into the final.

The scars are still fresh for Germany, who will be determined to avenge their late heartache and will be boosted by their nemesis’ absence.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) issued a statement confirming the worst fears of Barcelona and Spain fans. The association explained that the midfielder had "finished the morning [training] session at the Ciudad del Futbol in Las Rozas in pain after a bad landing in an accidental action".

The statement continued to explain that Bonmati underwent scans to try and diagnose what the pain she had been feeling was. Following tests by the medical team on Sunday, Bonmati was found to have suffered a fracture to her left fibula.

The RFEF added: “The player, originally from Ribas, will return to Barcelona and rejoin her club to begin her recovery period.”

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According to Mundo Deportivo, the initial understanding is that Bonmati will have to sit out of all football for a minimum of two months. Should the Spanish player not need surgery and the bone can heal on its own, the eight-week lay off would be the likely time spent out of action. This could see Bonmati miss key games for club and country, including the final group stage games of the Champions League.

Her absence could be exacerbated further if it is deemed that Bonmati required surgery on the fractured fibula. The expected time out for the midfielder would be closer to four months, should an operation be deemed a necessity.

Bonmati joins Patri Guijarro in the Barcelona medical room, with her midfield partner also out with a fracture. Patri suffered a stress fracture in her navicular bone in her right foot.

If Bonmati needs to have surgery on the fractured bone, she will face a race to be fit for crucial games for Barcelona in the spring. The Champions League quarter-finals are scheduled to take place in late March and the Blaugrana will be desperate to have the midfielder ready and back to her best in time for that challenge.

Barcelona and Bonmati will be dreaming of making amends for their performance in last year’s Champions League final. The Blaugrana were second-best against Arsenal and were punished by a late Stina Blackstenius goal. The 1-0 victory for the Gunners ensured the trophy was returning to England for only the second-time, following Arsenal’s first success in the tournament in 2006.

Barcelona have made good strides in this year’s tournament, leading the group stage table with three wins and one draw after four games. The club will not have been too disappointed with their one slip up either, coming in a controversial 1-1 draw away at English champions Chelsea.