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Luis de la Fuente: ‘We have our prestige to defend’.

The national coach prioritises the health of his players and warns of the danger of Switzerland: ‘We'll have a very tough opponent in Geneva’.
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Sat, 07/09/2024 - 21:12

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO WHAT LAPORTE HAD TO SAY AHEAD OF THE UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE MATCH BETWEEN SWITZERLAND AND SPAIN

 

The European Championships recently won by Spain not only vindicated the national team in the eyes of world football, but also countries such as Switzerland, which for Luis de la Fuente ‘was one of the teams that, like us, performed best in the finals in Germany’.


Therefore, the team's opponent this Sunday in Geneva is, in the coach's opinion, ‘a very tough opponent against whom we will try to maximise our strengths and minimise our weaknesses in a match that may also be conditioned by the state of the pitch, which will not be an excuse and that is what we have told the players’.

The problems on the pitch at the Stade de Genève come in addition to absences such as Mikel Oyarzabal and other players who are important for us regardless of their team. Rodrigo, for example, could play again if we understand that there are no risks because our priority is always the health of the players.

Pulling on the national team shirt is something that for the coach from La Rioja is an honour, because ‘we represent our country and we should give importance to that. All footballers and clubs want their players to play for the national team. We have a great responsibility and our prestige to defend.  I just try to be fair to the players.

De la Fuente has praised the squad of players, paying a special tribute to goalkeeper David Raya, whose ‘evolution and growth has been fantastic’ and hopes that the last training session before the clash against the Swiss will give them the chance to polish their game, as ‘there is always room for improvement’, as he repeated during the official press conference in Geneva.