Spain enters its fixture against the Czech Republic at the Carlos Tartiere stadium carrying a 41-match unbeaten streak in official competition, while manager Luis de la Fuente prepares to rotate his squad and rest teenage forward Lamine Yamal.
The Unbeaten Run Meets Familiar Opposition
The reigning world champions enter the match looking to link 41 official games without defeat, a sequence that has not happened for three and a half years, in the second match of De la Fuente’s tenure as head coach.
The Czech side is managed by Santi Denia, who led Spain to Olympic gold in Paris and previously coached the under-19 and under-21 national teams. Denia worked with Yamal when the Barcelona forward was 14 years old. Alongside Denia on the Czech bench is Pablo del Amo, who served as De la Fuente’s assistant during Spain’s UEFA Nations League and Euro 2024 title campaigns.
Rotation Plans for the Carlos Tartiere Fixture
De la Fuente indicated during his pre-match press conference at the Carlos Tartiere that Yamal is likely to start on the bench against the Czechs. The manager pointed to the forward’s workload, noting that Yamal played 60 minutes in Spain’s victory over Croatia in Seville rather than the full match in anticipation of upcoming fixtures.
“Lamine is just as important starting or coming on from the 45th minute,” De la Fuente told reporters. “We already anticipated this happening because we still have another game left.”
The anticipated rotation follows appearances by Fermín, Baena, Oyarzabal, Zubimendi, and Huijsen in the starting lineup against Croatia. Spain faces a return fixture against the Croatian team in Split on the following Tuesday.
Injuries Impact Spain Squad as Team Faces Czech Republic
Spain’s squad has been impacted by several withdrawals due to physical discomfort. Forward Ferran Torres returned home with an ankle injury, opening a spot for Carlos Espí, who recently scored five goals on his under-21 debut against San Marino. Eric García, Alejandro Grimaldo, and Nico Williams also missed out after the technical staff chose not to risk them over minor fitness concerns.
In previous meetings since Czechoslovakia dissolved in 1992, Spain has recorded five wins and two draws against the Czech Republic across seven encounters. The national team has won the three precedents at the Carlos Tartiere, having defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-1 in June 2001, Latvia 2-0 in September 2007, and Slovakia 2-0 in September 2015.
Cucurella Discusses Real Madrid Form and Ballon d'Or
Appearing alongside his manager in the press room, Marc Cucurella addressed questions regarding Real Madrid’s start to the season and the upcoming Ballon d’Or ceremony, where Yamal is viewed as a candidate following his performances in Seville.
“At the national team we’ve had the coach for a while and the core of us have played together for years,” Cucurella said. “At Madrid they just started with a new coach and there hasn’t been much preseason. Maybe the start hasn’t been what was expected, but it’s a process.”
Regarding the Ballon d’Or, Cucurella added: “I would vote for myself, but whoever wins I will be happy because I have teammates competing for it.”
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