Spain is already in Prague, where this Sunday it faces the Czech Republic, the leader of group 2 of the recently started Nations League. Before training at the Sinobo Stadium, the Slavia stadium, Luis Enrique and Koke attended the media.
The coach started by talking about the level of the Czech Republic, which he rules out as the classic opponent that locks himself up: “We expect a very difficult game. For the competition and for the rival. We expect a brave team. They defend very well, take up space in attack and play on their own field.”
Then it was recreated on the difficulty of the tournament, which has already claimed its fair share of unexpected victims. They lost France, Belgium…
Some explanation? “It influences everything. Friendly matches have been over for three years. There are no easy games anymore. This is what this competition has. They will fall larger, we will see. There is a lot of equality, especially away from home.”
The coach also spoke about football from a didactic point of view. He did it, for example, to explain what he wants from his center forward, whatever the name: «In my team, all the forwards I call can play nine. If they don’t meet those typical characteristics, I don’t call them anymore. My nine has to associate. Offer to leave face and generate spaces. Some, in their clubs, don’t show the things I ask for, but here they do. My nine has to be the first defender, run like crazy. Have a bestial attitude without the ball.
But despite the defensive efforts, the coach asks that the opposite be praised from Spain: “What we do with the ball is what should be highlighted. I don’t see teams that handle the ball like Spain. That doesn’t mean we’re going to win. And what nobody can doubt is that Spain is going to be emptied«.
Finally, he complimented his goalkeepers, “for me the three are starters”, especially Unai Simón (“he transmits peace and tranquility to me”, and Marco Asensio, his unexpected summoned: “He is endowed with top-level quality. The shot that Marco has not even six players, but football has more aspects.
Then Koke spoke, who opted for Spain (“we feel strong. We failed in the first, but we want to start winning tomorrow”), warned about the rival (“beating Switzerland has a lot of merit”) and although he said it is a matter that must be forgotten, he insisted that Courtois was not right in his phrase on the good side of history.
