Luis de la Fuente, the Spanish coach, praised the commitment and enthusiasm of his players, on the eve of facing Scotland on the second day of group A qualifying for the Eurocup, and was “optimistic” about the journey that awaits him in the selectionafter its debut against Norway (3-0).
“My opinion about the performance of the team is usually better with the passing of the days than on the field. There are many aspects in which we can improvebut there is much more in the positive than in the negative, and that we have only been training for five days, and it is something that makes me very optimistic”, explained the coach from La Rioja.
“I’m sure that tomorrow, against Scotland, we will correct aspects and improve performance. I see a committed and excited team. You see how the players relate to each other and that gives me peace of mind. This team is hungry to do something important, consolidate an idea and that our journey is long.”
Conversation with Gavi
Questioned by Gavi and his intensity in matches, the coach admitted that he has spoken with the Barça player. “He has maturity, courage, genius, drive and energy. And little by little he will gain that maturity that allows him to control those behaviors., which may not be beneficial to him or the team. But give me a Gavi before other types of footballers, his drive is contagious for all his teammates.”
The mission of Iago Aspas
De la Fuente also spoke about Aspas, on his return to the national team. “Against Norway, we tried to make him our attacking midfielder. I don’t like the false nine expression, so I won’t use it again. We were looking to take advantage of those spaces, that could start from further backthat he was not so closely watched and that he could arrive from the second line”.
“Iago did a fantastic job, congratulations. I am delighted with him and with his attitudeand I know that he can perform better because he is very good,” he added.
“I read almost everything”
Regarding the consequences and conclusions of the clash against Norway, in his debut on the senior bench, De la Fuente admitted that he has the habit of “reading and listening to everything I can” and acknowledged that he “agrees with almost everything that I read”.
“The most important thing is that I know the route we have to travel. And the criticism or the opinion of one or the other will not change me, “she added.
About the rival, a Scottish team that also won its first game 3-0, against Cyprus, De la Fuente warned that it is a “evolved team, capable of arriving with circulation, breadth and wings, without losing its essence of playing more direct. We will try to be dominators and make them suffer more than us“, said.
He also stressed that the system “does not particularly worry me or stress me; what concerns me is that we know how to be faithful to an idea.”
