Spain wants to recover sensations in the round of 16 of the World Cup in Qatar 2022. The team coached by Luis Enrique Martínez no longer has a margin for error. After thrashing Costa Rica (7-0) in their debut, they have not known the victory again; neither in their match against Germany (1-1) nor against Japan (1-2).
The defeat against the Japanese team against all odds condemned the red to second place in their group. Now they will have to face Morocco, one of the sensations of the tournament and who finished first in a group with rivals like Croacvia (2nd) or Belgium (eliminated).
The round of 16 match between Morocco and Spain will be played on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. and will be broadcast open on La 1 on RTVE and on the Gol Mundial pay channel. The La Vanguardia website will also offer live what happens during the clash at the Education City stadium.
Luis Enrique valued the rival in the recent interventions from the Twitch platform. "It is a team that came first in the group, at a wonderful point of motivation. They have a lot of support and can play in their favor. They have top-level footballers," he said. And he remarked: "They are dangerous in strategic plays. I hope they we can live up to it."
Likewise, he assured that he did not have the team decided. “Today we have seen Morocco in depth. We value the current state of form. That part of the training gives me a lot of information. I see who is inspired, fluency in their game, clarity. I decide the day before, there is plenty of time, ”he indicated.
Among the doubts about which to align, only in the goal and in the center of the field no news is expected. Yes in defense, specifically in the area of the right side, a position in which he had planned to rotate but has found a higher peak of form in Azpilicueta than in Carvajal.
Luis Enrique is pending the evolution of Azpilicueta, with problems in the left calf due to the strong blow received and having played 40 more minutes loading other areas of the leg due to the bad footing due to the pain he felt in the soleus. Although he is optimistic, the defender has not trained for three days and the coach has shown in the tournament that anyone who is not at one hundred percent does not play.
The defense, in which he made three changes to its four members, has only had Rodri as untouchable due to the need to make a quick run in a position in which he was not used to playing. After the failed attempt, Aymeric Laporte will return in the center and Jordi Alba on the left-back after standing out as a key offensive weapon for Spain.
The eight strikers in the squad present Luis Enrique with the opportunity to change to his liking. The offensive profile of Morocco's full-backs will surely encourage them to look for wingers that do damage behind their backs. Dani Olmo has played everything, the only attacker who has done so, in a position that the Spanish coach is always changing due to the great physical wear and tear required of attackers who also have to press and run backwards in defensive aid to the wings.
And on the right appears a question that even the players themselves are unable to resolve. Ferran Torres, top scorer of the 'Luis Enrique era', went from more to less in the World Cup after scoring a double in the opener against Costa Rica. Marco Asensio, the player who arrived in the best moment of form and rested at the start against Japan.
Although Asensio was Luis Enrique's bet as 9 when Álvaro Morata was relegated to the bench. However, goals rule and the striker from Madrid has vindicated the figure of the pure center forward. Three goals, one for each game, two coming off the bench. Very hungry for success. In that sweet moment of the auctioneer, all the first goals, which a coach never lets slip, makes him take advantage of the rest of the candidates.
