Spain begins the countdown to Qatar with a level duel
Luis Enrique’s team begins the 2022 edition of the League of Nations against Portugal
MADRID, 1 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish football team will return to action this Thursday with the first of its four games in just over ten days, which will face an important rival like Portugal at the Benito Villamarín (8:45 p.m./La1), with whom The 2022 edition of the League of Nations begins and the countdown to Qatar.
Once the season has ended with the success of national football with the conquest of the Champions League by Real Madrid, the month of June will be marked by the activity of the ‘Roja’ that will have a small marathon of clashes in a competition in the one that shone in its last edition in which it was runner-up after losing in the final against France (2-1).
Spain will have four games of a good competitive level, since in addition to those of Fernando Santos, they will face the rocky Switzerland again, and will also have a double confrontation with the Czech Republic, with two outings (Prague and Geneva) and two playing local (Portugal and the Czech team that will visit Malaga). Four clashes that will open practically officially and despite the fact that the holidays are just around the corner, the fight to gain a foothold in Luis Enrique Martínez’s list to play the World Cup in Qatar at the end of 2022.
In this sense, the Asturian coach knows that the load of matches and the schedule means that many of his internationals arrive with a lot of wear and tear, which will be added to the fact that he will have to get the maximum possible points in eleven days and without excessive relaxation because the League of Nations is still an official competition.
For this first rehearsal with the 2016 European champion, of the first League of Nations and, with the permission of Switzerland, the theoretical main rival of the group, the one from Gijón will try to form his best eleven, although he has some doubts especially for the defense .
Dani Carvajal has finished the season at a high level, but he is coming from playing in the Champions League final and the celebrations, and could rest, while Aymeric Laporte dropped out of the concentration due to injury and Eric García has been suffering from tonsillitis that make it difficult for them to participate.
For this reason, if the coach dispenses with the Real Madrid side, Marcos Llorente could be the best option since César Azpilicueta could move to the center along with Pau Torres. If the Navarrese goes to the side, Íñigo Martínez would surely join the Villarreal player, while Jordi Alba is expected on the left side.
In midfield, where Sergio Busquets returns after resting in March friendlies, the captain seems ‘fixed’ and, with Pedri and Thiago out, Gavi and Koke, the EURO starters, could be his companions. Above, the trident could be the one formed by Ferran Torres, Álvaro Morata and Dani Olmo, with Ansu Fati, who returns after a long time, waiting for his opportunity on the bench.
PORTUGAL WITH ITS USUAL BLOCK
Opposite, a Portugal that last March avoided an upset and that achieved the ticket for the World Cup in Qatar after overcoming the two ‘playoffs’ against Turkey and the surprising North Macedonia, which avoided a more fearsome crossing with Italy.
In this way, the Portuguese team, which did not shine in its defense of the continental title last summer when it fell in the round of 16 against Belgium, also has its sights on the World Cup and will want to show its powerful block in a new friendly with the ‘Roja’, which will be measured for the third time in the last two years, although for the first time in official competition since the spectacular 3-3 in the group stage of Russia 2018.
The two subsequent friendlies, one in Lisbon and the other in Madrid, evidenced the equality between the two teams, with both 0-0, a streak without seeing the door that they hope to end at Villamarín supported by their good offensive fronts, sometimes overshadowed in the ‘ tugas’ by the iron tactical discipline imposed by Fernando Santos.
The coach keeps the flagship Cristiano Ronaldo, who continues to be the great Portuguese reference and who wants to start fine-tuning his set-up for his last World Cup. Next to him could be the talented Rafael Leao, one of the sensations of the season.
DATASHEET.
–POSSIBLE ALIGNMENTS.
SPAIN: Unai Simon; Azpilicueta, Pau Torres, Íñigo Martínez, Jordi Alba; Gavi, Busquets, Koke; Ferran Torres, Morata and Dani Olmo.
PORTUGAL: Rui Patricio; Joao Cancelo, Pepe, Danilo, Nuno Mendes; Bruno Fernandes, William Carvalho, Moutinho; Bernardo Silva, Cristiano Ronaldo and Rafael Leao.
–ARBITOR: Michael Oliver (ENG).
–STADIUM: Benito Villamarin.
–TIME: 20.45/La1.