MADRID, 21 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The national Under-21 soccer coach, Santi Denia, defended and praised his captain Abel Ruiz on an erratic day for the striker despite the victory (0-3) against Romania, in the debut of the European Championship this Wednesday in the Stadionul Steaua in Bucharest.
“Abel is fine. He’s the captain, he’s one of the references. He’s been with us for many years, he gives us a lot of play and he’s going to give us goals. He’s very important, like Camello, but Abel is our reference in attack. Of course,” he said at a press conference.
The coach from La Mancha thus responded to the question about his striker, who missed good chances but who will continue to be a key player in an Under-21 team that began its journey in Group B with a thrashing towards the quarterfinals.
“We have decided that perhaps the game needed a little more offensive play in that area. Rodri was creating problems but Víctor also has that condition of reaching the bottom line and putting in good crosses. Arnau was playing well”, he stated about the change to rest of Víctor Gómez by Arnau Martínez.
“I don’t think Romania is weak at all. We tried to play our game. We wanted to play in the opposite field, move quickly and in their preparation they have had good results. Perhaps in this game we have been superior,” he added.