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Iago Aspas, the cards of his children and the non-existent plan b of Luis Enrique in Qatar

2023-03-23T23:23:34.580Z


The Celta forward returns to the national team after almost four years and points out the lack of alternatives that led to the elimination of the World Cup against Morocco


During the World Cup in Qatar, Iago Aspas understood that his eldest son, Thiago, 6, already understood the importance of football and his figure: “He knows many of my teammates.

He had the World Cup cards, he traded with friends.

He is already realizing who his father is, ”the striker said yesterday at the Ciudad del Fútbol de Las Rozas.

Also during the World Cup, while Spain suffered in the round of 16 against Morocco - "I was looking forward to the national team scoring a goal" - Aspas understood the problem that he believes led to the 0-0 and elimination: "With Luis Enrique, there was a model of game very very marked.

And for me, from the point of view that in the future I can still be a coach, we had no plan b.

And when plan a got stuck, there was no plan b, other soccer player records to try to turn that situation around, ”he explained.

And he added what seemed like a mild apology to the previous coach: "From my point of view, huh."

Aspas' analysis coincides with that carried out by the federation after the World Cup, whose conclusions led to the departure of Luis Enrique and the promotion of Luis de la Fuente.

This is also where the ideas that have inspired the first list of summoned for the new stage and the work days these days at the Las Rozas training camp come from.

Aspas also put lyrics to the spirit of the summoned squad: “The coach brought the three top national scorers.

If there is no goal, I don't know what can be asked of the coach.

Joselu, Borja [Iglesias] and I have several records.

Do not stick to just one plan like in the previous stage, ”he insisted.

The preparatory work for the first two qualifying matches for Euro 2024 has also begun there, tomorrow against Norway in Malaga (20.45, La1) and on Tuesday against Scotland in Glasgow (20.45, La1).

Already from the first session on Monday, open to the public and developed in a light and festive tone.

The only exercise carried out with the ball was a succession of quick attacks with openings to the wing and shots in the area executed by Dani Olmo, Morata, Ceballos, Nico Williams, Oyarzabal and Mikel Merino.

De la Fuente started with the attack, in which yesterday he lost Bryan Gil, injured.

Part of the initial defensive framework of the team is also intended to attack better, and to attack earlier, from a pressure up front in which the full-backs go up a lot.

Already with the ball, Aspas seems to have a fundamental role in the tests these days as a second striker, or midfielder, located behind Álvaro Morata.

A good part of the game goes through him, who at Celta has also fallen a few steps back, from where he takes advantage of his vision and passes from him.

From the sofa to the operations center, after almost four years without appearing on the field dressed in red.

Aspas played his last game with the national team in the Faroe Islands on June 7, 2019: “A very nice memory, because every time I play with the national team I have a nice memory.

I think I gave an assist [to Navas] and we won 1-4, on a synthetic field.

And I had never been to the Faroe Islands."

That was the first game that Robert Moreno led after three months earlier Luis Enrique had to precipitately leave a rally in Malta due to his daughter's illness.

After that day, Aspas not only did not play with the national team again.

He didn't even appear in a call-up again until this inaugural list from De la Fuente.

The return, now 35 years old, has a deep meaning for him: "I played three years in Segunda B, three years in Segunda, I made my debut in Primera at 25... For me, being here is a prize, and I'm not going to let the opportunity pass".

When he did not have it, he suffered: “They were difficult times.

Especially when the list arrived and I saw that it was not there, and I did things well in my team ... ”, she recalled.

He was sympathetic with the fact that the previous coach chose other footballers - "I thought other teammates were the best" - but he disagreed with some of the explanations that the coach gave in his day for preferring others, such as his insufficient defensive dedication: " The truth is that I didn't really agree, and I didn't have a talk with Luis Enrique to talk about this.

I don't know if he explicitly told me.

In my team I have to run like the most.

The data can be seen by anyone: I do more than 10 kilometers per game.

If not, the other teams will annihilate you”.

He also discussed the idea that it was a problem coming from a club, Celta, where the game took place around him: "He was an important footballer in my team, but when I have come to the national team in previous stages, I think I am a versatile footballer.

I can play in several positions: behind the striker, forward, on the wing... I have several registers that I can adapt to, ”he said.

"Sometimes it can be good, or you can be everyone's understudy, sure," he joked.

With De la Fuente, that flexibility is an advantage, as the coach explained the day he announced his list.

He was looking for footballers capable of varying the plan depending on the circumstances of the match.

What Aspas believes did not happen, nor was it possible, against Morocco.

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Source: elparis

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