Spain does not have a goal and against that there is no vaccine. It was clear again in the friendly against Portugal and it is a chill just a week before the Eurocup. We played well, we had the ball as a friend but without abusing the touch, we stopped the current European champion, but … But football is a goal and when you don't have it, you can see the seams. That is what we must solve between now and June 14, when the fire is real against Sweden. And I have no doubt that Luis Enrique has enough talent in his hands to do it.
Cristiano's first touch of the ball has already thrown a buzz in the stands, and that's good. Because it means that there were people in the stands, 14,743 fans to be exact, the long-awaited news of a postcard afternoon (sun and 28 degrees of temperature) that had begun with the baptism of the Iberian Bid for the 2030 World Cup. Excellent proposal that perhaps unites both countries more than any other initiative has done before . After that crack for the crack, the applause, these for the first touch of the ball from Aymeric Laporte, who made his debut as a Spanish international with Pau Torres as a partner in the axis of the rear. The Villarreal center-back has grown rapidly, sometimes with the good football ground that is acquired in La Cerámica, others because of what perhaps he has learned together with that portent named Sergio and surnamed Ramos that he will surely encourage these days as the most through their social networks. And those digital media, if any, have the power of an aircraft carrier.
Spain wanted the kick-off ball because it is impossible to speak another language if on the pitch you line up Busquets, Fabián and Thiago together. Being badly thought out, there will be those who think that we needed three balls, but La Roja knew how to manage their attack well, with the extra oxygen that Morata always contributes every time he goes down a few meters to accompany the creation of the play. Olmo, a fixture of Luis Enrique, rested from the beginning, taking his place Sarabia, that man from Madrid who is lucky enough to live week after week and month after month with two jugglers of the caliber of Neymar and Mbappé. The one from PSG started well and ended like this.
Portugal, where Fernando Santos ordered Sanches, Danilo and Oliveira to counter the Spanish tiqui-taca, had a hard time coming into play. João Félix acted as Cristiano's squire, but neither one was activated as the minutes passed. In 20, for example, no sign of them. But just a minute later, when the commentator's evil exists even in a written chronicle, Portugal took the lead on the scoreboard. It was after a corner given by Spain in a ball betrayed by Thiago to Fabián that the Napoli team failed to tame. Corner kick and header from Fonte, who scored but with previous support from Pau Torres. The referee signaled a foul and the goal did not go up to the scoreboard. And, to the disappointment of Portugal, It didn't even serve as one of those plays that connect a team to the game.
Because the ball continued to be from La Roja, which lacked some poison at the top – a header from Ferran next to the strain of the post after a splendid pass from Morata was the greatest danger – but he saw how Torres and Laporte were erected in a couple of guarantees behind. Both were an excellent shield for Unai Simón, whom we can mark with an X in the pool to be a starter in the Eurocup, Well, against Portugal he completed his seventh consecutive game under the sticks.
The meeting went to rest without shocks, without goal plays. The biggest swerve would come, however, with the return of the players to the field of play, when Pote replaced João Félix, who passed without pain or glory through what is the garden of his house. The script remained the same. Spain pressed up on veterans Pepe and Fonte, who raffled the ball to the despair of Cristiano, who snorted at every mistake by his teammates. Spain, while, to his own, each time with more incisive passes and arrivals by the bands, like the one that produced a double shot (54 ') by Morata, who lacked skill and pause. Neither did Sarabia five minutes later. The goal, as has happened to us for a long time, had not entered the call either.
It was time to shake the shaker and hence the hat-trick in the form of Luis Enrique's change: Pedri for Thiago, Rodri for Busquets and Eric Garcia for Torres. Change of men not positions. In the 69 'the warning came to sailors in the form of Cristiano's head, who the ball went too crossed. The minutes ran and with them, La Roja's game lost its charm. Not even the air of Koke or Gerard Moreno changed the course of the game, not even Morata's whip to the crossbar in 91 'prevented the inevitable, a new draw against Portugal. And they go four in a row. Sensations? Good. Goals? None. And it is about time that we end that drought.