Spain disputes this Sunday the second day of the UEFA Nations League against the Czech Republic. The Spanish team has little room for error in Prague after the draw against Portugal in Seville and the Czech victory against Switzerland.
The team led by Luis Enrique Martínez combats the fatigue of the end of the season with the two weeks that some players had already had. Therefore, rotations are presumed in a favorable Sinobo Stadium for the red one in the last visits.
The match between the Czech Republic and Spain will be played this June 5 at 8:45 p.m. and will be broadcast by La 1. The La Vanguardia website will also offer live minute-by-minute information on what happens during the ninety minutes of the clash.
Despite the defined identity that the team always exhibits, the debut in the third edition of the League of Nations left the fans somewhat cold. Numerous inaccuracies, without maintaining a constant rhythm, without exerting continuous pressure on the rival that always allows stealing in the opposite field. Spain forgave the sentence against Portugal and the tie on loan in the final stretch increases their need for victory against a rival who never lost.
The last four duels Spain were undefeated; the last in the premiere at Euro 2016, when a header from Gerard Piqué three minutes from the end gave Spain the victory. Six years later, of the players who participated in that match in Toulouse (France), only three remain: Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Álvaro Morata, because the fourth, Thiago Alcántara, is injured.
Rotations are expected from the Spanish coach, who yearns for Pedri and his influence on the game. The little separation between the first two days of the League of Nations invites changes. In defense, Dani Carvajal and Marcos Alonso are emerging as starters on the wings, and Eric García or Íñigo Martínez in the center of the rear, and both Rodri and Koke have many options to enter the midfield, as well as Dani Olmo in the trident offensive.
Luis Enrique must decide whether to keep Gavi, who drags a blow to a calf, and between Álvaro Morata, after equaling Emilio Butragueño's 26 goals against Portugal and being among the top five scorers of the team in its history , or give the alternative to Raúl de Tomás in search of more goals. He also eagerly awaits the return of Ansu Fati, with whom he remains calm without forcing his situation after overcoming an ordeal of injuries.
The Czech Republic did not notice the loss of its leading scorer, Patrik Schick, star of Bayer Leverkusen and top scorer of the last European Championship, to debut in the highest category of the Nations League with a win against Switzerland. The offensive responsibility was assumed by Jan Kuchta, from Lokomotiv Moscow, key in a good result that they want to endorse against Spain.
Jaroslav Silhavy, coach of the Czech Republic since 2018, who qualified for the last European Championship being only surpassed on his way by England, ensured continuity to his backbone. He will not make many changes or touch what worked for him, despite the short space for recovery that his team has had, but with the advantage of not facing displacement and repeating the local game.
