Spain seeks to improve sensations at Hampden Park

The Spanish team seeks to improve sensations

After their irregular debut against Norway, Luis de la Fuente's team wants an important away win against Scotland

MADRID, 27 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Spanish men's soccer team will face this Tuesday (8:45 p.m./La1) their second qualifying match for the 2024 Euro Cup in Germany, a visit to Hampden Park in Glasgow where a Scotland awaits them before which they hope to allay some doubts that he left in his debut against Norway.

Luis de la Fuente had the desired debut as national coach. His team won 3-0 at La Rosaleda de Málaga against the Norwegians, although two of the goals came in the final stretch of a match where his rival had good chances to make the night more difficult for them.

The 'new' Spain failed to fully carburize and was not as brilliant as expected, with Kepa Arrizabalaga as the protagonist, but they took the victory, and also comfortably thanks to the changes, which worked for the La Rioja coach. Now, before preparing the assault on the 'Final Four' of the League of Nations, he will have to solve a surely complex night in Glasgow, a city that he has not visited for more than a decade, when he prevailed for 2-3 months. after becoming world champion.

The 'Red' will surely find a game different from last Saturday, except in the physical aspect, one of the strengths that always accompanies the British teams. However, pushed by the tireless encouragement of the stands and the weather that is expected to be less benevolent than in Malaga, Scotland will come out wanting to push from the initial whistle, unlike Norway, who preferred to be more cautious.

The Spanish team is theoretically superior in technical quality and will need it to tame Steve Clark's men with the ball, a team that has grown in recent years and is once again more competitive, especially when playing at home in their 'sanctuary' ' from Hampden Park.

Luis de la Fuente must decide if he renews his eleven a lot for this second game or if he maintains, not only the block, but the idea. Against Norway, he opted for a 4-2-3-1 instead of the 4-3-3 used by Luis Enrique Martínez, with Gavi and Iago Aspas on the flanks of the offensive 'trident', which seems to be repeated, although with different pieces and knowing that in front they will have an always powerful defense of three centrals.

Joselu Mato, author of two goals in just a couple of minutes after entering the field on the day of his international debut, could be one of the novelties, to the detriment of the work of captain Álvaro Morata, while Dani Ceballos was also another of the changes that made the team somewhat better in the second half and he could have his chance from the start alongside Rodri Hernández.

Mikel Merino, Fabián Ruiz and Gavi could dispute a place for the expected intense 'battle' in the midfield, while behind, the changes could come on the sides with the entries of Pedro Porro and José Luis Gayà for Dani Carvajal and Alejandro Balde.

Face a Scotland that comes animated to this match after also winning in its debut in this qualifying phase. The Scots defeated the theoretically weakest rival in this Group A, Cyprus, also 3-0 and with the coincidence with the Spanish that they did not close the match until the final minutes with a brace from Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay.

Ranked 42nd in the FIFA world ranking, just one above Norway, the British team has managed to regain prominence on the international scene. They managed to end a long drought without competing in a big event by qualifying for EURO 2020 and came close to returning to a World Cup, but fell in the semifinal of their 'playoff' against Ukraine (1-3).

That defeat ended their strength at Hampden Park, where in the qualifying phase for Qatar 2022 they remained unbeaten, drawing only with Austria (2-2) and beating Denmark (2-0). Their growth could be seen in the last League of Nations, where they were promoted to League A ahead of Ukraine or the Republic of Ireland, winning all three of their home games and conceding just one goal.

Steve Clark will count for this game with the important loss of his reference above, Ché Adams, Southampton striker, whose place seems to be for Lyndon Dikes, Queens Park Rangers footballer. McTominay could be another novelty in the local eleven.

ESCOCIA: Gunn; Porteous, Hanley, Tierney; Hickey, McTominay, McGregor, Robertson; McGinn, Armstrong; y Dykes.

SPAIN: Kepa; Porro, Nacho, Laporte, Gayà; Rodri, Fabian; Oyarzabal, Ceballos, Aspas; and Joselu.

--REFEREE: Sandro Schärer (SUI).

-- STADIUM: Hampden Park.

--TIME: 20.45/La1.