The national debate changes its goal … for now. If before the first friendly match of the Spanish team against Portugal all eyes were on the goal of Luis Enrique’s team , after the match the spotlight was on that of the rivals. The Asturian coach opted for Unai Simón as Spain’s starting goalkeeper , leaving De Gea and Robert Sánchez on the bench, who had many options to sneak into the eleven. The one from Cartagena is leaving very good feelings in these first days of concentration, but for the moment Athletic’s goal is still the one that appears at the beginning. We will see next Tuesday against Lithuania and, above all, on the 14th in the debut of the Eurocup against Sweden.
Now the problem of Spain moves to the front. A but that almost always drags the selection. Against Portugal, the national team was better in almost every phase of the game. He dominated, got the ball played, successfully pressed the Portuguese team’s ball output and, especially in the second half, he deserved the goal, but was unable to achieve it . Morata, Ferran Torres and Pablo Sarabia, the starting offensive trident against Cristiano Ronaldo and company, failed to pierce rival networks, and they had chances to do so. The clearest was for the Juventus forward in injury time. After a great physical waste fighting with the defenders during the 90 minutes, he was able to draw energy to run a long ball that ended up crashing into the crossbar. A goal that would have given the victory to Luis Enrique’s team and that provoked from a sector of the public some chants against the Madrilenian that do not do any favors for everyone’s team.
In the second half, Gerard Moreno, new champion of the Europa League, did not find the way to a goal either, which has to be everyone’s job. Without a clear reference, Spain needs the success of the entire team to get a profit from the football they practice. For this reason, both the center of the field, with men like Fabián, who joined the attack very well, and the defense, where the full-backs play in very advanced positions, also have to be fine when looking for the biggest prize that the team gives. football.
Good sensations
Spain passed the test against Portugal with flying colors. A demanding test against the champion of Europe and the League of Nations. Those of Luis Enrique were better and deserved a victory that did not come due to lack of success. Laporte’s debut, who was paired with Pau Torres in a defense with two left-handed centrals, and Marcos Llorente’s performance on the right-back left the coach very satisfied.
In the center of the field, Luis Enrique opted for Busquets as a pivot with Thiago and Fabián in the creation. All three were remarkable, although this is undoubtedly the position of the field where the Asturian has the most options. Rodri will alternate in the cut with the captain of the Spanish team, while in the creation players like Koke or Pedri will also play a leading role.
Next Tuesday against Lithuania it is normal for Luis Enrique to take an eleven with several changes starting with the goal. Robert Sánchez, who did not make his debut due to the physical problems suffered by Laporte, has many options to start. On defense, Azpilicueta could occupy the right side, while the left-handed flank could be for Jordi Alba. In addition, it is necessary to see if the pair of centrals repeats or makes a change in it. There will also be news in the center of the field and in a forward where Dani Olmo, a very important player for the coach, and Oyarzabal were left without playing. Adama Traoré could also be ready.
