Sunday, November 17, 2024, 8:01 p.m.
Luis de la Fuente praised the figure of Álvaro Morata in the press conference he offered prior to Spain’s clash against Switzerland on Monday at the Helidoro Rodríguez López Stadium in Tenerife. «Over time we will realize the legacy he leaves, not only on a football level. He is a great person, a great captain and an example for these young people who are the future and who need the messages of the older players to resonate with them. “I would love for him to be recognized a little more, but the dynamic is changing because in the last few games the public has applauded him,” said the Spanish coach when asked if he believed that justice is not being done to the Madrid striker, who with a one more goal on his tally would equal the 38 that make Fernando Torres the team’s third all-time top scorer, before a match that will serve to round off a great year for the European champion.
«We have worked a lot, I don’t want to evaluate, it is our obligation. What I can say is that we have left our lives behind. In terms of objective data, it is a dream season, but there is always room for improvement and tomorrow we want to finish with another victory,” said a coach who feels “very loved” and lives “the same life he did before” being European champion despite the fact that the title achieved in Germany has put him more in the media spotlight. «I still feel that affection and it is what brings me the most joy. I am glad that they see me as a close, affable and simple person,” he said on the eve of an inconsequential meeting in qualifying terms but with incentives despite everything.
“Our obligation is to win tomorrow because there is a lot at stake,” said De la Fuente, who cited, among other elements, prestige and certifying the rise in the FIFA ranking by a team that two years ago was eleventh in said classification. “We have traveled a fantastic path and the most important thing is that there is a fantastic future,” said a coach who confirmed that he will make changes to the eleven he will have against Switzerland compared to the one that appeared on Friday in Copenhagen, but who highlighted that Monday’s ” It will be a great team” designed to beat the Helvetians.
No preferences for rooms
De la Fuente clarified that he considers Pedri and Dani Olmo compatible, despite the fact that so far they have only shared six minutes with the Riojan on the bench. “They are very good, they play together in their club and they will do it with us,” highlighted a coach who did not show any preference regarding the rival that Spain may have in the draw for the quarterfinals of the Nations League that will be held on Friday. “I don’t have any predilection, the important thing is that we have achieved the objective which was to be first,” said the one from Haro, who considers that this competition is “as difficult as a Euro Cup.”
One of the keys to the great trajectory that the Spanish team has had since De la Fuente’s arrival on the bench lies in the deep knowledge he has about the footballers thanks to his past in the lower categories, which allows him to have closely monitored them. many players who are making the leap to the senior team now, such as Samu in this call-up. «We know Spanish football and the future very well because we have worked with it. For many, Samu appearing now may be surprising, but not for us because we have seen his career and journey. We have a great present, but a better future because Spanish football is very healthy,” he explained before stopping at another of the newcomers, Marc Casadó. «He is a young but very sensible, mature and responsible boy. That’s why it’s performing the way it’s performing. Of course he has a great career,” he said about the Barça midfielder.
Finally, he referred to the three Canarian internationals who will have the opportunity to play on Monday in Tenerife: Ayoze, Yéremy Pino and Pedri. «Everyone has an important motivation to wear the national team shirt, but especially if you play in your homeland. “They love their land very much because they speak wonders,” he said about three “exceptional” footballers, with fantastic technical quality and also very important work that makes them very complete players, among the best in the world.” “The luck is that they are Spanish,” he concluded.
