Spain coach preaches caution before taking on Croatia and updates Laporte’s situation

“Favoritism must always be demonstrated on the field of play, we can compete for the best. We will play against a world power and we have to be very good and be very successful and we have enough potential to live up to expectations”, said the coach.

“Tomorrow we will play against a world power and it will not be easy. There is a lot of equality. We will have to be at a very high level and be very successful to win. I am convinced that we have great potential, both individually and collectively,” said an official Spanish publication on X, using a line by Luis de la Fuente.

🗣️ Luis de la Fuente: “Tomorrow we play against a world power and it won’t be easy at all. There is a lot of equality. We will have to be at a very high level and very successful to win.”

➡️ “I am convinced that we have great potential, both individually and collectively.”#VamosEspaña pic.twitter.com/3yrba4wxXx

— Spanish Men’s Soccer Team (@SEFutbol) June 14, 2024

Defender Aymeric Laporte, who plays for Al-Nassr, in Saudi Arabia, will be absent in Spain for his debut. The defender feels some discomfort and will therefore be spared by the technical committee. There was a doubt about the player being cut and not competing in the competition, but Luis de la Fuente clarified the athlete’s situation.

“He was not injured. He feels some discomfort. He is perfectly fine and arrived at the right time, when he was planned. He is a great player and, for me, one of the best in the world in his position. He could play, but he would be a risk. Let’s wait and see how things go and how he will be on Thursday (match against Italy), if everything goes normally, he will be there”, reinforced Luis de la Fuente.

Spain is the current champion of the Nations League and is in Group B of the European Championship with Albania, Croatia and Italy.