It was just a test, an excuse to show off the new shirt and to see some players who still have to earn a place for the Euro Cup. And Luis de la Fuente’s test didn’t go well.
Grimaldo, Leverkusen’s left back, who was the soul of the Spanish attack, came out reinforced. He did everything: he ran, put a cross on Vivian’s head that was close to the goal and shot. He was the most dangerous of the Spanish attackers. His were the two most dangerous shots of the team. One at the beginning of the game and another in the last minutes, a foul that hit the side of the net. Only another shot by Gerard Moreno, which also showed signs of his quality, made Camilo Vargas, the Colombian goalkeeper, work.
Injuries have opened the way for Grimaldo that his performance should have opened for him. Balde will not make it to the Euro Cup and Gayá, who already missed the World Cup due to a last-minute injury, has also been left out of the squad after De la Fuente had included him on the list. But Grimaldo just needs his left foot to make a space for himself.
Everything else was diluted in the image of Vivian tied up in a knot on the right side of the Spanish defense trying to contain Luis Díaz. The Liverpool winger beat him in close quarters when he went to collect James’ through ball and then Vivian could no longer compete against the speed and skill of the Colombian. Muñoz, the right back, finished the goal at the far post without anyone chasing him while Grimaldo had to deal with two opponents.
Luis Díaz put the imbalance in the game, but the play was born in James’ head. The former Madrid player came on at half-time and changed everything. Colombia, which had managed to contain Spain’s good start, unleashed itself at the beginning of the second half with the entry of its captain. James is only 33 years old, not a very high age for a footballer, but for some time now he has had more of a past than a future. However, the “10” of the national team and the captain’s armband of the “Colombia team” gives the impression that they rejuvenate him.
Spain, which had entered the field with the B team, was overwhelmed in those first minutes of the second half in which James looked like he did 10 years ago and Luis Díaz was an unstoppable winger. At least that’s how it was for the Spanish defenders. Pedro Porro could not contain him at any time.
The Spanish team even changed the scheme. De la Fuente looked for an offensive team and recovered the 4-2-3-1 that he used to use in the sub’21, with Gerard Moreno behind Joselu and Sarabia and Oyarzabal on the wings. Neither extreme was up to par. Especially the captain of Real, who also made his debut as captain of the national team from the beginning of the match.
Vivian debuted from the beginning and in the second half Remiro and Cubarsí debuted. The goalkeeper conceded the goal, although he had little to do with it; The defender played just ten minutes, enough to show that few things impress him. Few balls he could touch, but he did it without nerves. As usual in Barcelona.
The result was the least important, but the image of the team is affected.
2024-03-22 23:12:59
#Colombia #Luis #Díaz #shakes #Spain
