PREVIEW | Spain to be tested in Geneva

A famous Swiss proverb blesses countries that do not know the name of their president, something similar to what applies in Spain to the supposed star of their national team: nobody knows who it is because it is by playing as a team that Spain shines brightest. 

This way of conducting themselves in major tournaments will be put to yet another demanding test this Sunday 8 September at 20:45 (Spanish peninsular time, with live coverage on la1 and extensive coverage by this official media) against a tough opponent and in circumstances that are far from easy for everyone's favourite team.

Click here to listen to what Luis de la Fuente and Aymeric Laporte had to say before the game.

In addition to the absence through injury of key players such as captain Álvaro Morata, Mikel Oyarzabal, scorer of the goal that won us the European Championships, and the in-form Dani Olmo, the condition of the pitch at the Stade de Genève, where two years ago Switzerland suffered their only home defeat in their last 31 matches, against Spain, is also an issue. 

If there is one thing that characterises the Swiss team, it is their competitive solidity, with half a dozen consecutive appearances in the last World Cup and European Championships qualifiers, something practically unheard of in Europe and which even our national team has not achieved, as well as the strength of a squad to which emblematic figures such as goalkeeper Yann Sommer and striker Xherdan Shaqiri have just hung up their international boots.

See Spain's complete squad numbers for the match.

Switzerland are well known to Luis de la Fuente and his men, which is why this second round of UEFA Nations League fixtures heralds a level playing field and a desire for victory after Spain's draw in Belgrade and the Swiss defeat, with Elvedi and captain Xhaka sent off, three days ago in Copenhagen.

The return of Rodrigo Hernandez, unanimously voted the best player of the last European Championships, could be a major boost to a national team whose own successes have made them the team to beat in every international match they play.

Bosnian referee Irfan Peljto will officiate the match, with German Bastian Dankert acting as video assistant referee.

The support of hundreds of Spaniards in the stands in Geneva is sure to help a team accustomed to never failing on their visits to Switzerland to pass such a demanding test with flying colours.

Denmark and Serbia complete the second instalment of the exciting UEFA Nations League this Sunday evening at 6 p.m., which returns to Spain in October with two matches that the national team will be hoping, thanks to the strength of the team as a whole, to run up a group winning points haul on the board.