in the absence of stars, team – Spain’s News

“I was very calm and sure of work,” said Luis de la Fuente after Spain defeated Italy and reached the final of the Nations League, where do you wait Croatia. It was only his third game in charge of the team, but he has already had to overcome the first corners after Spain was defeated by Scotland in the last game, qualifying for the Eurocup, and showed a bad image. During the week Luis Rubiales, the president of the Federation, had a long talk with him in training, including a hug, and the players who spoke after the win against Italy had some phrase to highlight the coach’s work. It doesn’t seem logical to fire the coach with only three or four games, but just in case everyone wanted to enhance and value his figure.

“I want to make a team more than a selection”

Meanwhile, De la Fuente asks for “time” to consolidate his idea. And part of that idea is that he wants to “make a team more than a national team.” “Everyone has a chance to play. There are neither starters nor substitutes. We don’t put eleven because we think they are better than the others, it’s because we believe that at that moment and according to the game plan they are the best to start with, but then there are 90 minutes”, said the coach, who knew how to revitalize the team against Italy from the bench because Asensio, Fabian, Ansu and Joselu contributed with their input. That there are no starters and substitutes indicates on the one hand that Spain no longer has the players it had, on the podium of the best in the world in all positions. That’s been a long time ago and we have to get over it. Only Rodri would enter that category, and he is the leader on the field and also outside. Among the others, a fight will be generated to promote competitiveness because anyone knows that if he does well, he will have options to play. Both those who are summoned and those who have not attended this concentration. Regarding the last day against Scotland, only Rodri, Mikel Merino and Yeremy Pino repeated in the eleven, and if compared to the match against Norway, Rodri, Merino (the only two starters in the three clashes, even the goalkeeper changed), Gavi , Laporte and Morata.

Spain has raised the average age on this list with the presence of Alba (34), Navas (37) or Rodrigo Moreno (32), but there are casualties due to injury such as Balde, Dani Olmo, who was called up, but is between cotton ; either Pedro, who has not yet been able to debut with Luis de la Fuente due to injuries. The presence of some of these veterans seems more circumstantial than structural, although if they earn it they can return.