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Luis de la Fuente: "I wouldn't know how to send my team out looking for anything but the victory".

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The national coach expects to see a great spectacle on Thursday in the Euro 2024 group stage match against Italy.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO WHAT FABIÁN RUIZ HAD TO SAY AHEAD OF SPAIN VS ITALY

Just a few minutes after landing in The Rhineland and aware of the draw between Croatia and Albania meaning Spain would qualify for the Last 16 with a win on Thursday, Luis de la Fuente appeared in the press room to reiterate that the national team will be on the front foot right from the start against Italy.

The national coach is clear that "I wouldn't know how to send my team out looking for anything but the victory, and we want to win this next game, which is the most important one".

De la Fuente said of the Italian side: "Italy are a team very similar to ours. I like how competitive they are and their great individual quality. It's as if we were looking in a mirror. I think it will be a very even match played at a very high level", as well as assuring that "the whole team is in perfect condition" going into the match against the Azzurri.

Italy is an opponent that brings back many memories for the Spanish coach: "This match is a classic in any kind of competition and I, personally, have faced them many times. It could be the final of the European Championships or World Cup. There is a great footballing culture in both countries. We will see a great match.

It will be the second major test at the European Championships for Spain, who have been one of the form teams of the tournament so far. This is something that the coach from La Rioja took time to recognise cautiously, saying "the evaluations we have made are positive, but we must be humble in order to continue improving. We know the potential that other teams have, and we know it perfectly well".

"We are ready to get down and dirty, put in the hard work and do whatever it takes. They won't surprise us," warned the Spain coach, who was grateful for the praise of his Italian from counterpart Luciano Spalletti, but warned that "flattery won't weaken us", as he assured reporters in Gelsenkirchen.