The thing is serious. Luis de la Fuente (Haro, 1961) has already been presented as the new Spain coach, has already revealed his first call-up, has already sat down before the media to give explanations and has already completed a week of training with his players. But now the time has come to compete. This Saturday he makes his debut against Norway in Malaga, in the first qualifying match for Euro 2024, and the coach faces the most excited appointment. "I see looks of emotion in all the players, it gives me a lot of peace of mind and at the same time makes it more difficult for me to make decisions, but I know that I am not going to be wrong", he remarked this Friday with a smile.
The coach from La Rioja, sitting in the press room of the La Rosaleda stadium, has tackled as best he could all the unknowns surrounding his debut, even though ten years working in the lower categories of the Spanish federation have already left clues of his way of working. "I don't like being hostage to any system, what concerns me is getting the best out of all my footballers by giving them the best possible tools," he recalled. We have a clear idea of the game, play with the ball and attack, attack and attack."
The Spanish coach did not want to give any clue about the eleven that he will present against Norway, although he assured that it was clear. "The players will know the team at the last minute and I want to keep the tension between the players," he revealed.
De la Fuente has been working with his men for practically a week and he seems very happy. "I am delighted and enjoying myself, the feeling is incomparable although I take everything naturally. It's how I've been doing it all my life, being the senior coach doesn't cause me any special stress, I'm just as calm", he confirmed.
This Thursday, Iago Aspas had regretted that Luis Enrique did not have a plan B to face some games. De la Fuente seems to have it. "I am sure, but not as a virtue that others do not have, I like to have different alternatives before the problems that rivals may pose," he settled.
De la Fuente also confirmed that Mikel Oyarzábal will act as fourth captain by his decision. "The players have accepted my proposal normally. Leadership is earned and not given away. People who have that special touch are seen right away and Mikel is one of them," he reported.
Before saying goodbye to the press room, the coach used humor to assess Haaland's absence. "If I told you that I would like to see him on the pitch at La Rosaleda and you (to the journalist) answered that you believe me, we would both be minitendo".
