In the final round of the UEFA Nations League group stage, Spain will face England in a battle for first place at the Metropolitano Stadium. Coach Luis de la Fuente discussed the team's preparations at the pre-match press conference.
How are Yamal and Oyarzabal, who rejoined the team yesterday?
Good afternoon. The players are all fine and fully fit for training today and the match tomorrow. The only one with some issues is Grimaldo. Several players in the team have flu-like symptoms, and Grimaldo has contracted the virus and will not participate in training today.
Spain's unbeaten streak has reached 43 matches.
We have created our own era. Whether any team can break these records in the future, we will have to wait and see, but as of today, we are the national team with the most consecutive unbeaten matches in history. However, we will not stop here; we want to continue to create new milestones and records. This team is ambitious, and we have an obsession: to always play the next match as if it were the last, which is why we always maintain our drive. We still have a lot of room for improvement, and we want to do better.
With only one point needed to secure first place in the group, will the team become complacent?
I assure you, no. We want to win tomorrow. We have achieved 12 consecutive victories, and we want the 13th. We will not be satisfied. Secondly, regardless of the outcome, our only thought tomorrow is to win.
How is Yamal, who is in the eye of the media storm? You were very angry about this at the last pre-match press conference.
I'm not really angry. If I were angry about that... I just said I dislike it when people don't tell the truth, and I believe everyone here feels the same way; we all dislike it when people lie. Coming back to it, Yamal is in great form. If we had to do it again, we would still arrange it this way. He has recovered very well, and both he and Oyarzabal received a warm welcome. Our family has two new members, and we are happy for them to be in such good condition. The more players we have, the happier we are. I just wanted to express what I dislike, and I am also happy to see the players healthy and fit to play.
Five players will not be in the squad list tomorrow.
It's a matter of mathematics. We have 23 spots, and there are currently 28 people here. We accept that. Of course, the most unpleasant part is telling those five players that they cannot play tomorrow, but that is also part of my job. Some are selected, and some must be left out. They fully understand and respect our arrangements. That's football.
Will tomorrow's match be a clash of two of the most representative styles in football?
Both our teams are among the strongest in football. I prefer Spain's style of play; I think it's very recognizable and fits our players' characteristics very well. England's style has also developed greatly over the years, and I think it's very good, but we can't play like England, and England can't play like us. Tomorrow's match might be one of the most exciting clashes you can see in football today.
Is England perhaps Spain's toughest opponent?
The difference between teams like France, England, and Portugal is minimal. Any of them are capable of beating us, and so are teams ranked below them. England and Spain are both at the pinnacle of football, and both teams are in their best periods in many years.
Are other teams particularly motivated when playing Spain?
When you have high expectations for yourself but achieve nothing, you want to know what level you are really at, and playing against these teams further verifies your judgment. But in the last five matches, our opponents have indeed tested us greatly; they all want to beat us, so they are all very motivated, very excited, and play very proactively. This high demand is a good thing; it shows that we are at the top, which is why they want to beat us. However, we don't care about these things. No matter who the opponent is, we will fight to the end. For us, the match against England is the final battle, and we must perform at our best.
Will you refer to the first leg? Will Pedri be key tomorrow?
Using space for sprints is one of England's strengths, and they have many players who excel at it. In the second half of the first leg, we lacked control of the game, perhaps because the situation on the field changed. That said, Pedri is indeed a super talent for playing this kind of football, but we have many players of this type in our team, such as Fabian, Merino... We'll see tomorrow. Whoever plays will not be wrong, because they are all excellent.
Tuchel urged attention to anti-racism protocols.
There is no racism in Spain; my stance is very clear. Like England, there are no racists in Spain.
Merino, Zubimendi, and Oyarzabal visited Ander Barrenetxea in the hospital after his surgery.
This is the strength of this team. Our bond goes beyond professional relationships; we are like a family. We care about each other, share personal matters, and talk about many things. If someone faces difficulties, like Ander Barrenetxea, even though he is in good spirits now, such visits will be beneficial for his recovery.
Although England hasn't won a major tournament in 60 years, their players' market value is higher than Spain's.
Joan Manuel Serrat once said: "Don't confuse value with price." You might spend a lot of money to buy a player, but that doesn't mean their true value is that high. I am often surprised at how low the market value of Spanish players is, even though they are world-class players. Clubs set prices for players within their own circles and on the transfer market, but I am very cautious and very clear that value and price should not be confused.
England is an excellent team with a group of outstanding players, but winning titles is not easy, and when you don't win, you start to doubt if you are on the right path. It is precisely for this reason that we should cherish the achievements Spain has made this century; it is remarkable and hard-earned. But England remains a strong contender for titles in all competitions.
Would it be responsible to start Yamal tomorrow?
Here we go again (laughs). We'll see tomorrow if he starts. But if he starts, it's because his physical condition allows it. Secondly, we don't know what will happen during the match. He has recovered well at the club, a few days of rest and two fewer flights, avoiding the cold weather, which is very good for him. He is perfectly fine to play.
Is this a good time for Fermín to score his first national team goal?
Hopefully, I hope he scores three. But there are other players on the team who haven't scored yet. Fermín is a very good player, and his quality is evident. He contributes a lot, is very versatile... He is in great form, but his teammates are also very high quality. We'll see tomorrow who is best suited to start. Please, don't misunderstand: players who start are not more important than other players. We also need to understand that players who come off the bench can also decide the game. Fermín is capable of starting because he is excellent, but so are other players.
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