Seven hours for a truce with conditions, collateral damage and the fall of Andreu Camps, Rubiales' right hand man

There will be a match Sweden-Spain of the League of Nations with 21 of the 23 players called up by Montse Tomé. It was 4:45 in the morning on Wednesday and Victor Francospresident of the Higher Sports Council and one of the "plumbers" best considered by Moncloa, announced a truce between the women's team and the Real spanish soccer federation at the doors of the national team concentration hotel in Olive (Valencia). Were more than seven hours of negotiation to reach a principle of "agreement" from which only two players dropped out: Mapi León and Patricia Guijarro. Both were already part of the 15 who started the rebellion against Rubiales long before the World Cup. The "agreement" announced by Francos included that any player who left the concentration would not be sanctioned and that the Federation would "immediately" take the necessary steps to end the "rubialism". The first measure has been to create the unique brand «Spanish Football Team» which makes the national men's and women's teams equal. The second is the departure of Andreu Camps, the general secretary of the Federation and right-hand man of the former president, dismissed by the RFEF.

"For Patricia and me," said Mapi León, "the situation is different than for the rest of the colleagues and there have been no ways or means of returning," he noted. «We are not in a position to return, it is a process. It is true that changes are taking place and we are happy. We support our colleagues," said Mapi at the doors of the hotel a few hours after Víctor Francos' presence. "Being here is very hard, mentally I am not fit to be here," said Guijarro. "We need to see how things are going," Mapi León continued and they did not give any further explanations.

The more than seven hours of exchange of views between the Government, the footballers and the Federation left several conclusions. The first is that Spain will present a competitive team in tomorrow's match against Sweden with which it opens the Nations League and the search for qualification for the Paris Games.

"We have had several meetings with the players, meetings that have been very cordial, with a friendly tone and a constructive will," commented Francos at around five in the morning. «The players, the Government and the Federation have spoken freely. The conclusions we have reached will be reflected in agreements that will be signed and drafted by the Federation and CSD. We will form a mixed and tripartite commission to follow up on these agreements reached on issues such as the development of the Sports Law, equal pay, improvement in the quality of infrastructure for women's sports," said the president of the CSD with undeniable exhausted face. «The players have shown their concern about the need to profound changes and the Federation has committed to ensuring that these changes occur immediately», detailed Francos.

The Minister of Culture and Sports, Michael Iceta, pointed in the same direction. «It is not a happy ending, but a happy beginning. Fortunately, after a long night, we can announce that the path towards a solution has begun with firm steps. It is a path that must lead to where we all want: a renewed football federation and for the players to feel really motivated, comfortable and happy to play and win," Iceta said.

The "renewal" in the RFEF and the "immediate changes" do not affect Montse Tomé for now. The coach, who participated in some of the conversations, is singled out by the players after her peculiar press conference at the event that marked her presentation and that of her controversial list.

Other pillars of "rubialism" are those directly indicated by these "changes" in addition to Andreu Camps, general secretary and right-hand man of the former president. The soccer players understand that Camps always put obstacles in the way of promoting women's soccer and that growth involved saying goodbye to him. Other names are those of Ruben Riveramarketing director; Albert Luquedirector of the men's team or Miguel García CabaDirector of Integrity.

"The road is not going to be easy because the Federation is in a moment of transition," Iceta said. "They have asked us to bring forward the next assembly, it will probably be in the first quarter of 2024, and we hope that this will be the definitive point for the renewal of the Federation and the continuity of a path that has given us many joys," added the minister. .

Iceta also remembered the two players who left the concentration: «If anyone considers that at this moment they are not at full strength or confidence, they have the right to say so. And thanks to the CSD recommendation we have managed to ensure that this is not a cause for sanction. "A principle of trust had been broken between the players and the management team and the presence of the Government cannot in any case be seen as undue interference." All the controversy has also affected the candidacy of Spain, Portugal and Morocco to organize the 2030 World Cup. The acting president of the Government, Pedro Sanchezhe met with the head of FIFA, Gianni Infantinoin New York and Iceta is convinced that the candidacy has emerged unscathed.