Spain are looking to continue their rapid return back to the pinnacle of the women’s EuroHockey Indoor Championship ranks following an eight-year hiatus.

In Berlin, they line out in Pool A with Czechia up first on Thursday before they meet the likes of Germany, Belgium and Türkiye.

In 2010, they took European silver just behind Ukraine but the decision was taken to withdraw from international indoor following the 2012 event in Leipzig with their comeback only coming in 2020.

Since then, they stormed through Championship III in Bratislava and then prevailed once more on home-board in Ourense in 2022, leading the way ahead of Belgium, Poland and Switzerland who will all be here once again.

Their panel is almost all home-based with a trio of players from national champions Sanse Complutense, including the major talent that is Sara Carmona (pictured).

The teenager was a pivotal figure in her nation’s Junior World Cup run and she will make her indoor debut this week as will fellow youngster and club mate Paula Jiménez and the 20-year-old Sofia Alcaide. Jiménez also played in the Junior World Cup and has joined the wider Spanish outdoor panel.

At the other end of the spectrum is Rocio Ybarra – now 39 – who played in the 2004, 2008 and 2016 Olympic Games, captaining the side in Rio de Janeiro.

Estel Forte and Berta Agulló have been ever presents for Spain since their return to indoor international hockey.

Claudia Rodríguez is the one player based outside of Spain, representing GTHGC in Germany on the club front.

* 28 of the games will be streamed live from Berlin on www.eurohockeytv.org

** To find out more about the stats, fixtures and teams, click here: https://tms.fih.ch/competitions/1551