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Luis de la Fuente: "We are where we wanted to be".

The national team coach defends his team’s progress on the eve of the final of the European Championships against France: "Whatever happens tomorrow, I'll be happy".
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Mon, 08/07/2024 - 22:37

LISTEN TO WHAT SPAIN’S RODRIGO HERNÁNDEZ HAD TO SAY DURING THE PRE-MATCH INTERVIEW BEFORE SPAIN VS FRANCE AT THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

 

No sooner had the Spanish coach crossed the threshold of the Munich Football Arena than he was met by his French counterpart, and the affectionate greeting between the two men united the heads of two of the greatest footballing nations at this European Championships.

Luis de la Fuente then went on to praise Spain’s opponents for a place in the 2024 final, pointing out that "France are one of the most physically powerful teams" and he went on to deny that their game could appear boring, as "they have an exceptional team and not just because of Mbappé, who I think is a genius".

For the Spain coach, the key to the tie against Les Bleus will be in controlling the game, because "we're not interested in an end-to-end game, but in maintaining control of the play and being very attentive to transitions and defensive vigilance. As a general reflection, they are the fundamentals that allows you to play in a certain way and our approach may differ depending on the players you have available. We ask the players to finish off the passing moves so that we have as many chances as possible to score".

The wear and tear of the competition, with three guaranteed absentees for Spain, is another aspect to consider, although the coach from La Rioja believes that "we are recovering well, but there are only a few days between games, added to the travel and stress. The motivation you have when you step onto the pitch overcomes any physical setbacks. We are ready to play this game and we know how to face them".

The last meeting between the two teams, dating back to the 2021 UEFA Nations League final, was also talked over by De la Fuente, who said: "We are a different team to three years ago, with different ideas. We are clear about our path, giving a little twist to the team that played in that Nations League final with players who bring different things to the table. Our style can be flashy, but we are here to win..

The coach was equally forceful when it came to defending his players individually, with explicit reference to the captain who "is being treated totally unfair for a star of our team and a reference in our football such as Álvaro Morata, and I am clearly in favour of him, both as a footballer and as a person".

The feeling of family is paramount for the head of the national team, who on Monday publicly confessed that "I have very solid support, with a wonderful coaching staff and players who are a real example for others to follow. We are where we wanted to be, full of happiness and ambitious at the same time to go further. Whatever happens tomorrow, I'll leave here happy and I'm sure that on this occasion, or in the future, we can achieve something very big", he left as a final reflection.

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

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