Hanna Bennison Overcomes Severe Injury, Eyes Comeback in Nations League Semifinals

Hanna Bennison, the Real Madrid midfielder, revealed that her injury sustained during the European Championship (EM) against Germany was more serious than first thought. Initially perceived as a minor sprain, she suffered a grade two syndesmotic injury—a partial ligament tear between the tibia and fibula—that sidelined her for two months and caused her to miss the entire preseason with Real Madrid. Despite these setbacks, Bennison has managed two starts and six substitute appearances for her club so far this season. She expressed how difficult it was to undergo rehabilitation during her initial period at the new club, saying, "It was tough at the beginning to have to do rehab and be out." Nevertheless, Bennison is grateful to retain the national team coach Tony Gustavsson's trust and be selected for the Nations League semifinals, which begin with a match against Spain on October 24 in Málaga. She emphasized her eagerness to return to the pitch and contribute to the team's success, stating, "It means a lot that I still get the trust and am selected here," and underscoring the team's ambition: "It would be extremely fun to actually win something." This upcoming match also marks the Swedish side's first challenge under new coach Gustavsson.