To print
When many expected a France-Croatia in rooms, nothing more and nothing less than the reissue of the 2018 World Cup final, Friday afternoon we reserve a Switzerland-Spain in which the bets give us as favorites. Be careful, that label has a trap. Switzerland is a bone not only for having eliminated the bleus but for having created more than one problem for us the last times we have faced them. The motto is clear: trusting forbidden. Of course, we are in the quarterfinals of the Eurocup and the last two times we crossed that border we ended up being champions (follow today's game live on As.com).
It happened in 2008 and 2012, when the victories against Italy and France launched us towards the coveted title. Today, in the preview of the most important match for La Roja in recent years, the wind also seems to blow its tail thanks to the ten goals scored by Slovakia Y Croatia in the last two games. Even with the scare against the Croats, who forced extra time when in the 85th minute they lost 3-1, The National Team shows better feelings than at the start of the championship. Switzerland, meanwhile, has not been seen in another like it since the World Cup that it organized in 1954. Only then did he reach the quarterfinals of a great tournament, in this case with the bitterness of losing 7-5 to his Austrian neighbors.
Luis Enrique is aware that the results and the game have charged him with reason. It is enough to take the pulse of the country to realize what has changed since June 14, when Spain debuted with a worrying 0-0 against Swedenat breakfast this morning. And it does not matter where we look. Either the coach himself (“I have not seen any team better than ours”), Forest (“disaffection has changed and now people are very excited and excited”) or even to the F1 paddock, where Alonso and Sainz They bet on a Spanish victory and even coincide on the scoreboard: 2-1. But the illusion is not unique to Spain. With the passing of the hours the game has gained a niche in the Swiss press, where the great successes are usually reserved for other specialties. Of course, in the Berner Zeitung it was difficult to steal space from Federer and their qualification for the third round of Wimbledon. In almost all the information, a proper name, that of Granit Xhaka. The big concern is how Vladimir Petkovic is going to make up for the midfielder's suspension due to suspension. The Arsenal man is much more than the captain of the team, he is the point on which the Swiss game gravitates. “I have an idea that I will communicate on the day of the game,” announces Petkovic, which is like not announcing anything.
The Swiss danger comes from the left, with Zuber's centers and forays, while in the case of Spain it will be necessary to see how they are the titular theorists Ferran and Sarabia, who have responded to Luis Enrique's faith in them. They are our state wingers, coming from City and PSG. If orthodoxy prevails, Ferran will act on the right and Sarabia on the left, although the fruits of the change of bands against Croatia encourage the politically incorrect. That, at the same time, is usually unexpected, something to keep in mind when you measure yourself against a rival used to making you feel uncomfortable. Since the slap in the 2010 World Cup, with that 0-1 on our debut, we have seen each other three times with two draws (1-1) and a Spanish victory (1-0). There are Swiss cheeses with holes, yes, but this one also has thorns. Luis Enrique and his Roja are the first to know.