2025 Under-19 Futsal EURO semi-final preview: Spain vs Ukraine, Portugal vs Slovenia

The UEFA European Under-19 Futsal Championship semi-finals at Arena Chișinău in Moldova on Friday are rematches of the ties at this stage in the last edition two years ago in Croatia as two-time winners Spain play Ukraine and holders Portugal meet Slovenia.

We preview the action with spots in Sunday's final the prize.

Spain vs Ukraine

Spain have reached the final of all three previous editions, going on to take the title in 2019 and 2022 before being dethroned by Portugal in 2023. This time around they were through to the semis with a game to spare after beating Türkiye 3-0 and Czechia 3-2, but Spain only really hit top form on Wednesday in the 6-2 defeat of Slovenia that clinched Group B top spot, the team's overall top scorer Daniel Martínez Ruano getting a hat-trick in coach Albert Canillas's 100th match in charge.

Ukraine opened the tournament by beating hosts Moldova 7-0 but arguably raised their level in the 4-0 loss to Portugal the next day. They still needed to avoid defeat by Italy to reach a third semi-final in a row, and Oleksandr Shpak and Nazar Pershyn scored for a 2-0 win.

When these nations met in the semis two years ago, Spain were two up in under three minutes but Ukraine came back to equalise early in the second half before swiftly conceding to lose 3-2. They also played each other in the previous two final tournaments, drawing 2-2 on Matchday 3 in 2022 when both teams were already through and Spain winning 7-1 in their 2019 group fixture. More recently, they faced off twice last month in two pre-tournament friendlies in Spain with one win apiece.

Daniel Martínez Ruano, Spain player: "[The display against Slovenia] is the Spain we have to be to knock out our opponents – this is the team we want to see on Firday. We want to first get to the final then be champions."

Igor Moskychov, Ukraine coach: "Spain are at the forefront of European futsal. If we beat Spain in this semi-final, this will rank with Ukraine’s senior team getting the [2024 FIFA] Futsal World Cup bronze."

Portugal vs Slovenia

Defending champions Portugal swept through the group stage, their 21 goals only one short of the record set by Spain in 2022, with just one conceded. Against Italy they were in control from late in the first half and won 7-1 before beating Ukraine 4-0 to seal first place in Group A with a game to spare, following up on Wednesday by defeating hosts Moldova 10-0.

Rodrigo Monteiro got hat-tricks against both Ukraine and Moldova to take his finals tally to seven, already a record, and only one fewer than Slovenia collectively mustered in the group stage. Still, they showed grit, scoring twice late on against Czechia to win 2-1, then seeing off Türkiye 4-1 to book progress before the 6-2 loss to Spain that meant Group B second place and this encounter with Portugal.

Two years ago, Slovenia twice equalised in their semi-final against Portugal before losing 3-2 to a 39th-minute goal. In the Slovenia team that day was current captain Lovro Trdin plus the scorer of their second leveller Luka Čop, whose younger brothers Martin and Mihael are featuring this time around. These sides met again in Poreč in June, Portugal again prevailing 3-2.

Tomás Nogueira, Portugal player: "Slovenia are a very strong team. They were in the semi-finals two years ago with Portugal. It won’t be an easy match but we will do our best to win and reach our goal."

Tomislav Horvat, Slovenia coach: "I know it will be a tough game, Portugal we know are very difficult. But we will give everything, and that means we are a danger."

How the groups finished