Luis Enrique, this Sunday in a training session in Copenhagen.WOLFGANG RATTAY / AFP
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As much as Luis Enrique never hesitates to emphasize the infinite confidence in all his players, it is hard to predict the Spain that will face Croatia this Monday (18.00, Telecinco) in the round of 16 of this traveling Eurocup.
Especially with such a pendular Spain.
The same thing disappears the goal (against Sweden), that the game is charred (against Poland) or is unleashed (against Slovakia).
Everything is even more uncertain if one takes into account that Spain has not reached a quarter-final since Euro 2012. Last glory of a team lost since that night of streamers against Italy in Kiev, the best match that the national team ever saw most prodigious.
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The coach does not seem to worry about a greater swing than that of the goal, as if everything was reduced to inspiration. When the liberalizing uncork came to Slovakia, it did not even assume that something would change. "Before the same thing had happened, many occasions and little goal." At least in public, the Asturian coach exhibits samples. Would you repeat the orderly line-up after beating the Slovaks? He stressed the same thing twice in Copenhagen: “I could play with any of the 24 summoned, any of them would give me guarantees; and I say it from the total honesty ”.
Luis Enrique wants everyone in a magazine position.
And so he sees them before the duel against the current world runner-up.
It is another Croatia, without Mandzukic, without Rakitic ... And now without Perisic, his best offensive weapon with two goals in the tournament, positive in covid.
"A
shock
", in the words of Zlatko Dalic, Croatian coach, but for whom he said he had many good alternatives.
Modric and Kovacic
Croatia has not been seen with the fullness of the World Cup in Russia, where with her jaw well screwed and her heart in her bones after so much extra time she became the great cheerleader of the championship.
However, Modric is still very much Modric.
For Luis Enrique, the main hallmark of the team with Kovacic.
Hence, he anticipated a crucial battle in the central zone, where “the Croats with the highest quality” and the core sector for the Spanish game maneuver, which for a decade has had the midfield as its best strain.
On the axis, Busquets and Koke are expected, two of the Praetorians, capital anchors against Slovakia, especially the Barça captain.
And to the cadet Pedri, who matures and matures at full speed after a season of graduation to the career, at Barça and at La Roja.
The canary has been in all and for all.
Of the rest of the team, not a syllable escaped the Spanish coach. There is no other Morata case, so you should no longer pull the couch and proclaim that "Morata and ten more will play." Regarding the threats to the Juventus striker family reported by himself, Luis Enrique was blunt: "It is a crime, and a very serious one, with threats to children, which should be placed in the hands of the police."
Spain did not fully agree, far from it, with its fans during the first phase.
Despite everything, the Asturian coach, relieved that he does not consume sports information during the championships, did not hesitate to yearn for La Cartuja.
"I wish we continued playing there, with our people, and living in Madrid for more than 40 days of concentration."
It cannot be.
Either exile or a route to the Wembley grand finale that passes through Copenhagen - at the Parken, with a capacity for 38,000 spectators up to 25,000 are admitted - St. Petersburg and London.
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