De la Fuente and the mutation that took Spain to the Euro Cup: “It is a team for the future”

Eight games, one title (lesser but a title like the Nations League that was celebrated in style in times of misery since that treble of 2008-2010-2012), seven victories and one defeat. The defeat that changed everything because there, in that fall against Scotland (2-0, March 28), the mutation of a team was born that went from the noise and convulsion that Luis Enrique transmitted to the serenity and calm that he wanted to project. Luis de la Fuente, the selector who has two games left over.

He has put Spain in the Eurocup with four consecutive wins (1-7 against Georgia, 6-0 against Cyprus, 2-0 against Scotland, returning the blow from Hampden Park and 0-1 against Norway, finishing off Haaland) with a resounding partial: 16-1.

“The team is growing a lot, in an exceptional way, giving a feeling of cohesion”, De la Fuente

“The team is growing a lot, in an exceptional way, giving a feeling of cohesion. There is a team for the future,” proclaimed the Spanish coach in Oslo, relieved because he has fulfilled the mission that had been entrusted to him. for the dynamism and youthful talent that Gavi embodies.

It has placed Spain in the Euro Cup that Germany will host next summer. And he has two games left over because the duel in Cyprus (November 16) and against Georgia (November 19) are anecdotal dates on the calendar, something that raises the self-esteem of the Rioja coach, chosen by Rubiales, whom he applauded in the controversial federative assembly in which he said up to five times that he was not going to resign. But he resigned, taking over Jorge Vilda, world champion coach with the Spain women’s team, now already presented as the new coach of Morocco.

Successful transition

De la Fuente still resists in his position, backed by the transition that he has promoted in the national team based on the foundation left by Luis Enrique. Five players who started in the Spain that lost in the World Cup against Morocco in the penalty shootout (Unai Simon, Rodri, then central defender, Laporte, Gavi and Ferran Torres) enjoyed the same condition last Sunday in Oslo, while Pedri, Dani Olmo and Marco Asensio did not do so because they are punished by injuries. De la Fuente trusts them just as Luis Enrique did in his day.

“I know Spanish football and the players who can adapt in the game and in coexistence,” De la Fuente

From the first day he has skirted the delicate case of Sergio Ramos. She didn’t call him the first day. Nor has he done it now, enduring constant questions on the trip about the now Sevilla center back. “I know Spanish football and the players who can adapt in the game and in coexistence,” he repeated in Oslo after winning in Norway without having to mention Ramos. It wasn’t necessary either.

Rodri celebrates with Fran García Spain’s passage to the European Championship after beating Norway in Oslo (0-1). @RFEF

The change has been, without a doubt, in the forms. Much more in the forms than in the substance in addition to the generational change that it entailed, yes, The goodbye of Busquets and Jordi Alba to La Roja. And if the focus is placed on the brief stage of Luis de la Fuente (elected last December, debuted in March) the transformation is noticeable, and especially in the Spain that he opted for against Scotland when they suffered their only defeat in eight games.

Rodri, the lighthouse and leader

He then played with Kepa, Pedro Porro, Iñigo Martínez, Gayà, Rodri, Mikel Merino, Ceballos, Yeremy Pino, Joselu and Oyárzabal. Since then, it modified until finding its basic skeleton synthesized in the figure of Unai Simon (his goalkeeper) and capitalized on the dimension he has acquired Morata (his scorer and his captain) having as essential axes: Rodri (midfielder and lighthouse) in addition to the centre-back pairing with which he feels most comfortable: The Norman and Laporteboth French.

Gavi celebrates the goal against Norway FOOTBALL

Spain had the idea for a long time. “With this now we only have to think about football; we all need it,” the coach proclaimed with relief in Oslo after the 0-1 draw that freed him from all worries.

Contract until 2024

Now, Spain has the players and knows how to lead an affordable group (Scotland, Norway, Georgia and Cyprus) that was poisoned, above all, by the earthquake that shook Las Rozas, which was the home of Rubiales, the president who installed De la Fuente. He resigned for his non-consensual kiss to Jenni Hermoso and the terrible subsequent management carried out by the former leader. In a normal federation, the passport to a European Championship was a guarantee of renewal for the coach, which he signed until 2024. That was the tradition.

Now, however, no one knows if the Riojan will receive that proposal to continue, among other reasons because the Federation, as such, does not exist, under the interim command, of course, of Pedro Rocha, waiting for elections to be called in the first quarter of 2024, shortly before the Euro Cup is played.

2023-10-16 12:23:01
#Fuente #mutation #Spain #Euro #Cup #team #future