In the Soccer City pessimism has not permeated. The bubble lives a very different reality. With “desire for revenge” yes, but the firm conviction that Spain is playing good football in the Euro 2020. This is how he defends it Pablo Sarabia that assures that with some triumph “the atmosphere would be different”.
Sarabia It was one of the surprises of the summons of Luis Enrique Martínez. So much so that he didn't expect the call himself, so he had to change the already planned vacation with his partner. He points to the coach as the leader of the selection and does not think that there are no referents on the pitch. In an interview with Efe, he shows how the selection breathes hours before an unexpected 'end'. The desire to show an identity while staying true to a non-negotiable idea of the game.
Question: After days to reflect, what goes through Pablo Sarabia's head?
Answer: We have reflected from the party of Poland. Both I and the whole group are looking forward to revenge, that Wednesday comes to mend that tie. We were hoping and trying to win but it wasn't like that. In the end is what happens if you have chances and you don't put them in.
Q: What is the reason why Spain is not showing its true identity?
A: The analysis is positive. The team has an idea of the game, it tries to be the protagonist with the ball, trying to get from side to side, to be aggressive. In the end we have many scoring chances, which is not easy to create for teams with so many players behind the ball. We are going to continue with that idea, we are not going to change an iota, because it is what we trust and what the mister trusts and transmits to us. We believe that it is the right way to win.
Q: Your call was unexpected but you have had a leading role in the first two games.
A: I am very happy with what I am contributing, for that the mister called me to give my best as I am doing. It is a pity that the goal is resisting, but on Wednesday we will go with everything to be able to put in and end that negative scoring dynamic.
Q: We are missing the final pass between the lines against locked opponents, does the coach demand it?
A: Luis Enrique asks me to be definitive in the last meters, to try to reach a goal because it is one of my virtues. We are trying, I have had two chances to score, one per game, which did not enter. Now it's time to continue, to further refine the idea of the coach, knowing that it is the right thing to do to win.
Q: The last one, against Poland, also at a time that would have been decisive, you choose to assist Morata instead of gambling.
A: At that time I thought it was the best option, I was able to finish with a header or control but when I saw Álvaro I just made up my mind. Finish off and cover the goalkeeper very well.
Q: Does the responsibility weigh when playing a European Championship or is there no difference to the pressure that you feel in the Champions League with PSG?
A: In the end, over the years you get used to difficult situations with a lot of pressure. In Paris Saint-Germain I have lived situations in which we played a lot, in which I try to do my best.
Q: That leadership that Neymar or Mbappé exert there, do we have it in the national team or are we lacking a player who makes a difference?
A: The team is at one, has enormous ambition and a tremendous desire to do well. We are good both in defense and in attack but we are lacking the results. If they had been different, which by merit could clearly have been, a different, much more positive atmosphere would have been created.
Q: The group is very young, with the return of Busquets the leadership recovers?
A: Sergio is going to give us a lot for everything, football, leadership, as a teammate. It suits us well. For him it was a setback not being able to be with us for the first two games and now we are very grateful for his return.
Q: Is popular discouragement inside?
A: We are very optimistic, we know the way to win. We have felt the support of Seville a lot. In the bubble, in the end, we know what we have to do to change this and hook people by winning on Wednesday.
Q: Do you notice that there is less fans hooked on the national team?
A: I honestly do not notice it, I understand that people need results to get hooked and that we are going to try to give on Wednesday.
Q: A Slovakia is expected to be locked on its own ground, what will be the key to winning?
A: We expect a match similar to that of Sweden in which we will have to move the ball very quickly from side to side to generate spaces and scoring chances. The key is going to be in concentration for 90 minutes, controlling your transitions and being fine in front of the door.
Q: Morata needed the goal after feeling the rejection of the stands.
A: In the end, you have to support all the players. It is true that in the first game he had chances that he did not score but he is the first one who wants to score goals. In the second game he showed that he can score. I am very happy to see him make up for it. Hopefully people will support him, but if we are not going to be in the locker room to support him, that is enough for him.
Q: You are one step away from leaving behind names like David Villa and Fernando Torres as Spain's top scorer in the Euro Cups.
A: His numbers are there, with his international caps he has scored many goals that other great footballers have not achieved. That speaks a lot about Morata. We have to support him. He is a very important player for us. Hopefully he surpasses that record in this European Championship.
Q: It is not normal for Luis Enrique to speak individually about anyone and less as he did with Morata.
A: I think it's very good because we are a team, obviously the coach has shown that he is our leader and defended Morata a lot. One by one we defend him because we are going to the death with him and with the rest of the players here. That speaks a lot about the group and is a fundamental part of the team.
Q: Does the system need to be tweaked?
A: The team has many variants, players that we can join to one system or another but the mister's idea is the right one, we generate many chances and we lack a result so that things can be looked at differently.
Q: Listening to Spain then, it just lacks forcefulness …
A: Yes, we are dominating many phases of the game, elaborating a lot in the games and what we have lacked is to define better in the first two games. I hope he arrives in the third and we can win.
Q: Is there a final atmosphere?
A: Of course, people are very psyched, focused on a match that is a final for us. The qualifying Eurocup begins now. It's as if it were a round of 16 game.
Q: Have we fallen out of the group of favorites?
A: I have never liked being the favorite, in a field anyone can win and that is the beauty of football. We focus on winning on Wednesday.
Q: What team did you like in the Eurocup?
A: I really like Italy, they are having a great tournament, and France has a highly compensated team that is going to be very difficult to beat.
Q: After all that is being said, Spain can finish first and regain optimism. Have you looked at crossover options?
A: I have not looked at anything, I only think about winning and passing with 5 points. We have to do our job and we will see how we pass to see the next opponent.