MADRID, 8 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The national football coach, Luis de la Fuente, said he was “very proud” of his players for demonstrating with the away win against Switzerland (1-4) that they are “a team”, in a victory marked by the early expulsion of the central defender Robin Le Normand and which allowed, in the opinion of the coach, to play “perfectly” with fewer men.
“The first few minutes were about control and dominance, we felt very powerful. But with 10 men we played the perfect game, the one we had to play, to know how to defend and move very quickly when we have the opportunity,” he said in a press conference after the victory.
De la Fuente added that before the expulsion in the 20th minute they were playing “a very brilliant match” and controlling “in all facets”. “Then with ten men we were able to interpret the game in a masterful way. Not only in football but in those attitudes that you need and are essential to display what was later displayed,” he explained.
He saw his team display “commitment, solidarity, work, energy and generosity.” “I am very proud of this team. Every day we see that we continue to grow and that we want to continue improving and that we can improve, and we are showing it,” said the coach, who sees Spain add 4 points and have a chance of winning their next rival, Denmark, who leads the group with two wins.
“If there’s one thing I like to boast about, it’s the pride I’ve always felt for this team. When these circumstances occur, one feels more proud of putting value and giving more visibility to a group of players who are a team, not a national team. We’ve been growing as a team for a long time now and you can see that today,” he reiterated.
De la Fuente, under the downpour in Geneva and given the poor condition of the pitch, said he felt “pride, emotion and feeling” for having achieved “something important for a country.” “We are getting people to identify with these players. It shows that being united and sacrificing for a teammate are values on the rise. From these values of humility and sacrifice we grow a lot as a team. I feel proud of these players who never cease to surprise me,” he said sincerely.
And he had words of praise for, among others, the Blaugrana Ferran Torres. “Ferran will generate those doubts for others, not for me. He does not generate any doubts for us. He can play in various positions, we believe that he is more effective on the right wing. But he does not generate any doubts for me, I know him perfectly and I know what he is going to give me. He is one of the captains, since this week, and he is one of the players with the most games in this group. He is a very popular player but sometimes little recognized,” he said.
As for the two-goal scorer Fabian Ruiz, he said that he is one of the best in his position. “For me Fabian is one of the best, if not the best, in his position. I am not surprised by his performance, nor by that of Dani Olmo or Ferran or many other players who I know never fail with us,” he reiterated.
“I’m especially happy for Joselu, who I have a fantastic appreciation for because he is always an example,” he said about the forward, now playing in Qatar. “He had the best game since he’s been with us, he did what we asked of him at all times. Today was Joselu’s game and that’s why he had a great game,” he argued.