La Roja left Italy in the semifinals. (AFP)
Two years after finishing second in the League of Nations, Spain faces Croatia in the final on Sunday (2:45pm) in search of an international title, more than a decade after Euro 2012.
La Roja will look for someone strong Croatiawho reached the semi-finals in the last two editions of the World Cup, made up for the 2021 final when it fell to France (2-1).
“It’s a unique opportunity,” the midfielder said on Saturday. Rodriwho was chosen Thursday as the best player in the semi-final, in which Spain beat Italy 2-1.
Not only victory Spain In the final, but it was also a boost to the coach’s project Lewis Sourcewho hopes to continue growing on Sunday at Feyenoord.
“Take another step forward.”
“Little by little we see what we want to see, tomorrow is the day to take another step forward and face the final with more guarantees because it will require our best,” de la Fuente said on Saturday.
La Roja was able to impose his style of contact in the match against Italy, which he left without the ball in the second half, but on Sunday he will face the Croatian national team, which does not lack technical players and knows how to control the ball.
“It’s a very final match Two great teams. “If we were here, we showed that today we are the two best teams in Europe,” said de la Fuente.
And the Spanish coach, who sees his players “in the best moment of the season,” added: “We will try to control, take the initiative, knowing that we have a competitor with the same goal.”
To meet his new rival, De la Fuente must once again have Rodri a great organizer in midfield, while at the back, the good result of the central pair formed by Robin Le Norman and Aymeric Laporte, may make them repeat.
The coach stated that all his players are available, including striker Dani Olmo, who was absent from Italy due to a thigh injury.
“winning culture”
Rodri insisted, “It will be very important to win the title after a long time, it will be important to get back to the top, it will be important not only to win but to create a winning culture for future tournaments.”
However, the task is not easy in front of an opponent who came from behind to defeat the Netherlands 4-2 on Wednesday in the other semi-final match of the tournament, expecting a difficult final match.
“Spain is a great team, all 23 of their players are of great quality. They love to play, just like us, and it won’t be easy, but we will try to do our best, as always.” UEFA.com Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Levakovic.
Croatia is counting for this final with its incombustible captain Luka Modrica good connoisseur of Spanish football.
“Modric is one of the strengths of the team. We can be influenced by this man and the things he does,” said the Croatian coach. Zlatko DalicAfter the victory over the Netherlands.
The Croatian coach added, “There are players who do not want to go on vacation or think about transfers, they just want to be with the national team and give everything they can. Luca drives this feeling.”
Modric, almost 38 years old, who scored one of the goals from a penalty kick that put his country in the final, is playing with him. cover 166With which he hopes to achieve the international title that eludes him.
“We won bronze and silver medals and hopefully we can go one step further and win this competition and win the gold,” Dalic said.
“Lifelong travel trailblazer. Food nerd. Award-winning music enthusiast. Twitter guru.”