BarcelonaDuring this World Cup Spain will play according to the proposal of each rival. Costa Rica presented no resistance against a team that was excellent across the board. The formation with which Luis Enrique feels most comfortable is the 4-3-3, as he already demonstrated in the debut of the Red . Now, the national team has the litmus test of the group stage: Germany. For the technician, determined to be an enigma, there is no one untouchable. This, according to different antecedents, could be his eleven.
For Luis Enrique it is indisputable. He has played 27 international matches and has established himself against other goalkeepers such as De Gea or Kepa. He is the coach’s favorite at the World Cup, and leaves the other players selected, Robert Sánchez and David Raya, who have only played one match with Spain, each.
The right back is one of the most contested positions. Luis Enrique already assured that he would not repeat the drawing and Azpilicueta played the 90 minutes against Costa Rica. The game against Germany will be a good opportunity to make way for Carvajal to start and give the Chelsea defender a rest.
During this year’s League of Nations and friendlies, in which Laporte was hardly available, Luis Enrique rotated his centre-backs a lot. Pau Torres, Eric Garcia, Hugo Guillamón (and also in other games this year Íñigo Martínez or Diego Llorente, who have not been called up to the World Cup) are alternatives that the coach has used. Hugo Guillamón has only played three games with the Red. Eric and Pau are two very similar centre-backs, and the Barcelona defender gets along well with the captain, Sergio Busquets. However, against Costa Rica, Rodri played in the center, and he did not do badly. Although, it is also true, neither he nor Laporte had much to do.
Injured between June and October 2022, Laporte missed the Nations League games. When called up to the national team, he usually plays as a starter in important matches. During the pre-qualification phase for the World Cup, in the last European Cup, or in the matches of the League of Nations of the previous edition (of the year 2021) he was the undisputed starter. It should be remembered that against Jordan, Lucho tried him at left back, another good option, but it did not work very well for the Manchester City player.
Almost 90 times international with Spain. Theoretical starter, due to Gayà’s injury, ahead of Alejandro Balde, who has only played once with the Spanish national team. The one from l’Hospitalet is the full-back with the most experience and has improved his level over the last few months, playing on the left, while Balde has played more games than anyone on the right at Barça.
His competition, Rodrigo Hernández, does not enjoy minutes in the pivot position when the captain is called up with the Spanish national team. It is his fourth World Cup and, probably and according to Busquets, it could be his last. He already led the Spanish team on the first day of the competition and is expected to demonstrate his consolidation in the real test of fire, against Germany.
Present and future, Pedri González is the best player in Spanish football at the moment. The Barcelona midfielder was injured for much of last season. However, when he has been available and at 100% he has had minutes (more with Barça than with Spain) and proved to be the best against the national team tica on the first day of the World Cup.
The new irruption in the 11 of Luis Enrique. Pablo Martín Páez Gavira, Gavi, will complete a Blaugrana colored midfield. What the Spanish national team needs to defeat Germany is touch and communication, and Gavi is used to playing with his team-mates.
It is a really good alternative in the touch game of the Red. He did not enjoy minutes in the first game of the competition and arrives with fresh legs to play against Germany.
Luis Enrique already assured one of his viral streams from Twitch that the Spanish team would play with one 9 during the World Cup. “There is no such thing as fals 9. We have different types of players who can take the place of reference in attack such as Dani Olmo, Asensio or Morata,” said Lucho. It should be added that Marco Asensio started on the first day against Costa Rica and made his debut as a goalscorer. The mattress front is the only one 9 pure that has brought Luis Enrique to Qatar, that is why he sees as good alternatives in that position other players like Asensio himself, Dani Olmo, or even Sarabia or Ferran Torres, who have played several times in that position.
Ferran was one of the best players in the debut of the Spanish national team against Costa Rica. Ansu Fati is still not in condition and arrives with little pace to play in a clash of the highest demands, like this one against Germany. Ferran scored two goals in the first game and has a better feeling than his teammate. In addition, he has already shown a great harmony with Pedri and Gavi.
