Luis de la Fuente: "It’s a match of equals".
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO WHAT DANI CARVAJAL HAD TO SAY BEFORE THE MATCH BETWEEN SPAIN AND GERMANY
With the same aplomb and confidence that characterises him, Luis de la Fuente spoke to reporters on Thursday ahead of what no Spain coach has ever achieved before: beating the hosts in the finals of a major tournament.
🗣️ Luis de la Fuente, seleccionador nacional: "Conozco el potencial que tenemos y conocemos el potencial del rival. Nos respetamos ambos conjuntos".
— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) July 4, 2024
➡️ "Jugaremos un partido de igual a igual en lo que podría ser una final europea".#VamosEspaña | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/JA07rUyOdS
Something that doesn't worry the coach from La Rioja, who thinks that "I don't think that the pitch factor will have too much influence. We're going to find a footballing atmosphere and the pressure often works against the home team. We have a lot of football and a lot of potential".
🗣️ Luis de la Fuente: "La mejor manera de responder al ataque del rival es con un ataque aún mejor".
— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) July 4, 2024
➡️ "Sabemos que Alemania saldrá con un arranque muy poderoso, pero saldremos también con todo. En estos partidos hay que vitar cometer errores".#VamosEspaña | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/ycGtdEToej
Even so, the coach does not hide away from the enormous quality of Friday's opponents for a place in the semi-finals: "Germany have been starting their games very well and we'll try to counteract that. We'll go all out because the best thing to do against a powerful attack is to respond in kind. The important thing will be not to make any mistakes because it's like a final.
🗣️ Luis de la Fuente: "La fortaleza de un equipo radica en hacer bien su trabajo. No podemos pensar que Alemania va a fallar, tenemos que hacer lo nuestro".
— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) July 4, 2024
➡️ "Coincido con Nagelsmann en que la eliminatoria está al 50% y que esto es como una final".#VamosEspaña | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/83yCICniIP
De la Fuente will have all 26 players called up for the squad available for the match and he says the players are "very prepared to play this game. We've studied the German team very carefully and our ideas won't change. We want to be strong as a team and continue to work as a group. That will make the individual players stand out much more.
🗣️ Luis de la Fuente: "Aquí el que pasa de ronda es porque es un gran equipo. No se regala nada en una @EURO2024".
— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) July 4, 2024
➡️ "Nos vemos fuertes y con potencial para seguir mejorando, creciendo y peleando por todo. Tenemos mucha ilusión por llegar lejos".#VamosEspaña | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/eMNPB2F2iA
Calm prevails, however, in the national team camp and in its head coach, who is not letting himself get carried away with the unanimous praise that his team’s performances are attracting during this European Championships: "I'm still the same today as I was a month or a year ago. I'm focused on working hard and continuing to make progress," he told the media.