Tested positive for Covid on June 6 and placed in solitary confinement, Sergio Busquets found his Spanish teammates on Friday. The captain makes the trip with the group to Seville where Spain faces Poland this Saturday (9 p.m.). Busquets lacking rhythm and without collective training, should not play. But her mere presence can give a little confidence to a Roja who is sorely lacking. "We all know that the captain is him, he is vital for us, both in football and human terms," said Jordi Alba, interim captain in the first match of this Euro against Sweden ( 0-0).
A failed entry that only amplified the doubts escorting this selection in reconstruction.
The golden years (2010 World Cup, Euro 2008 and 2012) now seem very far away.
Spain remains on two disappointments with eliminations in the round of 16 at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup. If the coach Luis Enrique said that "Spain is part of the group of 6-7 favorites for the final victory" , the supporters are rather disillusioned.
"I have not read any polls on the question, but if we had done one, the answers would not have been very optimistic," explains Pablo Polo, journalist at Marca.
The selection remains on failures and few people see it going very far.
Quarter, that would already be good, semi-finals, very good… ”
Monday against Sweden, Spain, dominating, had fallen asleep, despite many opportunities and ... 953 assists (the highest total of the Euro). Released under the whistles of the stands of the Cartuja in Seville, Alvaro Morata, the striker of Juventus of Turin, crystallized the criticisms and seems to symbolize the offensive evils of the Roja.
"There is a lot of debate about our attackers," continues the journalist from Marca. But whistling his attacker, you only see that in Spain. We are a divided country. But it is true that it is very difficult to score. With us, I do not see anyone who could reveal himself and be our Mbappé of 2018. The generation of Pujol, Xavi, Iniesta, Fernando Torres has not been replaced. The one now is less talented. There are no longer any strong individualities, the strength of this group must be its collective. He still has to go through stages, you have to be patient and calm with him. The problem is, people have been so used to better for several years and they don't have that patience. I think we have to wait two or three matches in this Euro to find out more. "
Facing Robert Lewandowski's Poland, Spain will already be up against the wall. Coach Luis Enrique was keen to support his players and especially Morata. “He will be the holder. I tell him to keep doing the same. We will play Morata and 10 others. I ask fans to whistle only if they see apathy, otherwise I hope they applaud. ”