Luis Enrique does not hide the importance of the three matches in Spain in September, in which the National Team will play a good part of its options to be first in the group and to get the direct ticket to Qatar 2022. Anything other than that would be getting into serious trouble, since the play-off will be enormously difficult: 12 countries for only three places.
Therefore, the coach, together with the psychologist, the also Asturian Joaquín ValdésThey are going to work these days to make the group aware of the importance of the stakes, especially the first one, the day after tomorrow in Stockholm against Sweden, which is presumed to be the great rival of the group.
The National Team is leading on the way to Qatar 2022, but it has to carry out the matches against Sweden (Stockholm, on Thursday), Georgia (Badajoz, on Sunday 5) and Kosovo (day 8) if it wants to secure the place. Qualifying for the 2022 World Cup is tough. Of the 55 European teams that aspire to contest it, only 13. To achieve it without further suffering, there is no choice but to win the qualifying group. But Sweden, a great team, has the same idea.
The ten champions from each of the groups will qualify directly. The second ten plus two other teams from the League of Nations, 12 countries in total, will play three places in direct playoffs. The semifinals of these qualifiers will be played on March 24 and 25, 2022 and the finals will be played on March 28 and 29 of the same year, and will be a single match and on a field chosen by lottery. That means that to the foreseeable difficulty of finding a rival of rennet, would be added the possibility, in case of not having the luck of face, of having to ventilate the place for the World Cup in someone else's field. Not easy. The best and safest way to avoid power surges is to be first.
Spain is the leader of Group B, with wins against Georgia and Kosovo, but with a draw against Greece. The game that will play on Thursday in Stockholm against Sweden is key because it is assumed that it will be the great rival for the only place that gives direct access to the World Cup.
To achieve victory against the Swedes, Luis Enrique has summoned the bulk of the players that he led to the Eurocup, again without Madridistas. But he is confident of carrying out the commitments and qualifying Spain for Qatar 2022.