A goal by Stelios Giannakopoulos at La Romareda in June 2003 sent Spain to the European Championship playoffs in Portugal. The red has not returned to Zaragoza since then, where tonight it will take a mass bath again almost 20 years later (all sold) in a duel against the always rocky Switzerland, decisive for its future in the Nations League. “It is a city that brings back very good memories and this stadium distills football history, it has always been very difficult to win here as a visitor”, Luis Enrique recalled this Friday in the press room of the old but legendary Zaragoza stadium.
Despite the importance of the clash –a Spanish victory combined with a Portuguese defeat in Prague would already give the national team a ticket to the final four for the second consecutive edition–, no one escapes that the reading of the duel will already be in key World Cup, since there are less than two months left before the start of the long-awaited (and enigmatic) event in Qatar. “It takes me a lot longer to analyze my team than the rivals, really. We always play the same, regardless of the rival”, defended the coach.
Luis Enrique has been able to work calmly for three days in Las Rozas and now has two games, this Saturday against Switzerland and Tuesday against Portugal, to examine his internationals at first sight and finish outlining the final list. "If we give direct instructions to the players, it means that they must make a decision that we can judge instantly in the national team context, when they are with their clubs we can only judge their performance," the Asturian wielded, slipping that some footballers can take a definitive step towards Qatar if they live up to expectations in these two games. And it is that once this break is over, the performance of the footballers in their teams will be his only argument to convince the coach, who we must not forget must reveal the call before November 14.
Despite the fact that Spain leads its Nations group and receives Switzerland, the bottom team, the duel at La Romareda is a perfect test for the World Cup, since we must not forget that the Swiss are fighting to avoid relegation to the Liga B and at the same time they still have remote options to reach the first place. Murat Yakin's team, apart from having shown his potential in June by beating Portugal, has always been a stone in the shoe that has bothered the red. Last year, at the Gazprom Arena in Saint Petersburg, he squeezed Luis Enrique's goals to penalties before losing in the quarterfinals of the European Championship. More distant, but equally illustrative, is the confrontation in the World Cup in South Africa, where before touching the sky in Johannesburg, Del Bosque's team had to endure the downpour after losing against the Swiss in its debut.
As for the names, the Spanish coach only slipped that Morata, Sarabia and Ferran Torres aim to be starters. Although the rest of the eleven is also expected to be recognizable. It should be remembered that Busquets, Carvajal, Marcos Llorente, Sarabia and Rodri are on notice and will not be able to play in Braga if they see a yellow card.
