MADRID, 4 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Spain’s men’s football coach, Luis de la Fuente, said on Wednesday that “Spain is not racist”, echoing the statements made by Brazilian striker Vinícius Jr., and added that “Spain is an example of coexistence, respect and integration”, arguing that the 2030 men’s World Cup “will be a success”.
“I haven’t heard it, but I have been told something. But I have to say one thing first, quickly, so we can focus on the game, which is what is really important, please. Spain is not racist, Spain is an example of coexistence, respect and integration. An example that many people should look up to,” said De la Fuente in a press conference.
“Of course there are always some undesirables, a few undesirables, of course; that is the improvement we must make to eradicate them. But Spain, I insist, is not racist and is an example that many people should look up to,” he reiterated. “And I also believe that the opposite is true. I think that the World Cup with Morocco and Portugal will be a unique event, like everything that Spain organises and in which we are involved. I am sure that it will also be a success in the future,” predicted De la Fuente.
Regarding Thursday’s match against Serbia in the Nations League, the coach of ‘La Roja’ spoke about how to combine Dani Olmo and Pedri González. “It doesn’t matter if they play or not. Within our game plan they are very important for us, whether they are on or off the pitch,” he said from the Rajko Mitic Stadium in Belgrade.
“Then we will try to use them in the game plan that we have established and that we have to close tonight in the best possible way to benefit from their great talent and great potential. Of course they can play together and they can also do it separately,” he warned.
“Rodri is fine, he has trained very well with us these days. He had already trained with City in the last few days before joining the training camp. He was called up last week, which he did not take part in, but he was called up. We are following the established plan of working, he will also work tomorrow morning and we will assess how he is between now and Sunday. But of course, if he is there it is because he can take part and we will see if he takes part in the whole match for a while,” he argued about the midfielder.
He also spoke about striker Lamine Yamal. “He’s fine. But this also reinforces the approach we always take. The priority is the health of the player, always. And he had some discomfort from a blow he received during the match over the weekend,” he said.
“He had been training normally, but he is very young, he is inexperienced in these situations. He has not had any situations yet, thank God, and hopefully he won’t. To reassure him, he has gone for some tests. Obviously everything came back negative and he is now calmer and totally ready to play tomorrow,” he stressed.
He then analysed how to motivate his pupils. “It will be very easy, I have no doubt about it. This team, as I have said many times, is insatiable in competition. We want to continue growing, we want to continue improving. We still have a lot of room for improvement and we believe that the best is yet to come,” warned De la Fuente.
He also revealed which names he has in mind to vote for the Ballon d’Or. “Two in my mind, Carvajal and Rodrigo, should be candidates for me. For everything, for their experience, for their career, for their current status and for what they have achieved this last season,” he said, before talking about himself and his success this summer at the EURO.
“Without them, I would be nothing. And if I had any recognition, I would be happy because it would be recognition of all their work,” said De la Fuente before turning his speech back to the Serbian team. “I think they are a great team. They have shown it, they have qualified for the Nations League this year, they have made it to the first group. In the Euros all the matches were very difficult, they only lost against England. Anyway, I know that many times people say it to reassure, to give confidence, we are not going to be complacent,” he predicted.
“It’s going to be a very difficult, tough match, against a very important opponent, with players of recognised, very recognised international prestige and in front of their fans in such a legendary stadium. I think it has all the ingredients for a very good match tomorrow. But of course, matches have to be won on the field and we are not overconfident at all,” insisted the Spanish coach.
On the other hand, he was asked about the controversies of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). “We cannot live on the sidelines, but we do have to isolate ourselves. To do otherwise would have a negative influence on us. I think that we have also shown great professionalism, because despite all these vicissitudes that you have mentioned, which we all remember how this year has been, this team has continued to maintain its work, its professionalism, its rigor, its performance, its commitment, and that is worthy of praise,” he stressed.
“We will continue to do so because it is the only way to be able to work calmly and safely to be able to provide the footballers with what they need. Safety, calm, so that they can do their job very well, because they are specialists and they are the best. We hope and wish that everything is clear, that it is resolved and normalised, for the good not only of us, but of the Spanish Football Federation and of Spanish football. Hopefully everything will be normalised soon and we will only talk about football,” he alluded to what surrounds Pedro Rocha.
Finally, he was asked about Yamal again. “To be clear, what bothers him is a blow. In other words, it is no more bothersome than a blow. So, let’s not look any further, it was simply a blow. I have seen him calm, he is a very calm boy. I have always told him that he is a young man who is very mature for his age. And what he has experienced, I suppose he will have assimilated it, he will have digested it. And with us he behaves like a more mature person,” he admitted.
“We are delighted that this is the case, because we also transmit to him that calm, that pause and that he knows that every day the demands are greater. And now we are seeing that they are paying attention, he has the spotlight always and constantly on him, he has to get used to living with it and continue growing with that responsibility and that demand. But I think it is very nice. He is prepared for it and will continue growing and maturing personally and in football in a normal way,” he concluded.