The focus of the Spanish national team in their early days in the Black Forest has been disrupted by one player: Aymeric Laporte. Is he injured? Does he have discomfort? Could he play tomorrow? Luis de la Fuente has addressed all these questions. «He could play tomorrow, but it would be risky. We will wait to see how he progresses for Thursday. He is not injured. He has some discomfort. He is perfectly fine, arrived at the right time, as planned. He is a great player and, for me, one of the best in his position,» he said.
While it is assumed that Nico and Lamine will play, Luis de la Fuente hinted that «you assume that Nico and Lamine will play, but we will see…» Perhaps one of those who could enter the starting eleven is Dani Olmo. «I know how much Dani wants to play. We already have the team decided, but tomorrow you will see if he plays or not.»
As for the team’s goals, De la Fuente maintains his message. «It’s about competing, doing well, and ending with a clear conscience. By continuing to do things as we have been doing, we are in a position to compete for something important. We want to be in the final, but so do the others. It seems that whoever doesn’t win is considered a failure,» he concluded.
The coach believes that favoritism must be proven on the field. «Tomorrow we play against a global power and we have to be very good and very accurate, but we have enough potential to meet expectations.»
De la Fuente knows that this is the biggest challenge of his career. «Representing Spain is a great responsibility. It is the most important challenge I have had so far. The magnitude of the Euro Cup goes beyond what I have experienced before. We are calm, we want to enjoy the competition,» explained the coach.
In addition to Laporte’s injury situation, the Spanish national team is facing a tough opponent in the upcoming match. The coach’s careful consideration of the team’s lineup and the players’ readiness to compete at the highest level are crucial factors in their quest for success in the tournament. The pressure is on, but De la Fuente remains focused on the task at hand and is determined to lead his team to victory.