MADRID, 1 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The national football coach, Luis de la Fuente, acknowledged that there was a moment of doubt against Georgia but highlighted a great game by Spain overall to advance to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 (4-1), with the “conviction” that they can go far even though they now face the host Germany.
“We suffered because of the uncertainty of the result, not because they were creating danger. They are one of the best teams in the world in the transition, we knew it was their danger, but they did not shoot between the three sticks. We created many chances, it was a game 8-1, it would have been normal. We have controlled it, against an opponent that is very good and defends very well, to value the important victory,” he said at a press conference.
The coach of the ‘Red’ confessed that moment of concern when conceding the 0-1 at Le Normand’s own goal, but praised a Spain that showed once again that it has a clear idea of the game. “Football is sometimes being ahead and other times, having to row against the current. You can’t always control everything, your rivals can get ahead. The important thing is to have the calm that this team has, except for those moments of the impact of the goal , but the rest of the match was dominated from control. You learn from everything, this situation and all of them make you a little better,” he said.
“We know that there will be these types of situations. All teams have tremendous potential, what determines when a team is safe is when you have to row against the current, and this team does it. It invites us to have a lot of confidence, but with the awareness of that each game is more difficult. The next game could be a Euro Cup and World Cup final,” he added.
On the other hand, De la Fuente was asked by Lamine Yamal. “We have to continue with our feet on the ground. He played a great game but I think he will do better. We had to give him more pause, he likes to risk too much. We have to be more calm. He is a 16-year-old player who is in full learning, today will be useful for the next game,” he commented.
“We had control and in a counterattack we scored a goal, but removing those five minutes of nervousness, the team has regained its calm, its style, and from there until the end we have seen a calm team, with zero anxiety “The footballers interpret the moment and Rodri manages the emotions in the center of the field,” he noted.
“We want to continue achieving our objectives, win the next game. We are confident. I think we have the best players. We are going to fight to win. We are already in the quarterfinals, against Germany, we have created an illusion based on what we have seen, which gives us immense strength. We have conviction, and that is very important,” he added, seeing Germany as a “machine,” but “very similar” to Spain.
“It’s a very balanced match, at these levels it will be the details, it’s the reality, that will decide the balance,” he added about next Friday’s quarter-final.