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Luis de la Fuente: ‘We always look to benefit the players and Spanish football with our decisions’.

The national coach has assessed his squad of players for the matches against Denmark and Serbia: ‘This team is insatiable and knows how difficult it is to win’.
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Fri, 04/10/2024 - 16:56

A lengthy appearance this Friday at the Ciudad del Fútbol allowed Luis de la Fuente to convey several important messages about the current situation of the national team and Spanish football on the whole.

The coach's first comments were words of recognition for Andrés Iniesta following the World Cup and double European champion’s announcement of his retirement from playing.

Along with this, he spared a thought for all the injured players with special dedication to Unai Simón, Rodrigo Hernández and Robin Le Normand, who have not been able to be part of the current squad due to physical problems.

Another of the Riojan coach's reflections was to congratulate the Murcia Football Federation on its centenary and to highlight the fact that 12 October will be the first time that a Legends match will be played on the same day as a senior team match and that the event will also raise funds for the fight against cancer.

The coach then referred to his latest squad, noting that ‘we live in the here and now and what we need most is success in the next game. We are also looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup and we think that everyone can play a part in it. We always look to the future and we know that the veteran players will make the younger players better’.

On the loss of midfielder Rodrigo Hernández, he said that ‘Rodrigo is irreplaceable, the best in the world in his position and now we will have the chance to see how other players show their potential’, while on the return of captain Morata, he described him as ‘someone we all love and respect, as well as being one of the best strikers in the world. On a human level, we have a lot in common with these players and we are right behind them’.

We have always prioritised the health of our players,’ continued De la Fuente, ’and we often leave some players out of the squad for this reason. When you have to compete, you have to compete and our decisions are always for the benefit of Spanish football and our players’.

Denmark, current group leaders in the UEFA Nations League, will be Spain's first opponent before they take on Serbia in Córdoba, and Luis de la Fuente was quick to point out the importance of a match against a ‘very serious opponent, with good players. It will be a very difficult clash because they have started very well in the group. They will demand the best of us. The players know what we are going to ask of them. The team has character, is insatiable and also knows how difficult it is to win. They also believe in the importance of valuing the successes we have achieved recently’, stressed the coach.

 

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