Luis de la Fuente held his fifth press conference in a week on Friday, speaking from Oviedo’s home ground ahead of Spain’s upcoming match against the Czech Republic. The game will see him come up against two coaches with whom he shares a long history: Santi Denia and Pablo Amo.
The Spain coach began by addressing the issue of withdrawals from the squad, pointing to the demanding nature of the international calendar. “The drawback of this format is that there is little time to recover,” he said. “We prioritize the player’s health and prefer there to be a player in perfect condition.”
On the topic of rotation, particularly in goal, De la Fuente explained his approach. “When we talk about rotations, we mean choosing the players who are in the best form for the match. In every position,” he stated. He acknowledged that the goalkeeper position is usually more stable, but insisted that changes could occur anywhere.
Turning to his opposite numbers, De la Fuente revealed he had just met with Denia and Amo. “We know each other very well, but the ones who change matches are the footballers, the ones who give a different feel,” he said. “They know how we play, but it is not easy to defend against us and you always have to keep an ace up your sleeve. I haven’t told them everything I knew.”
The coach also faced questions about Lamine Yamal, the young forward. De la Fuente praised Yamal’s growth. “Every day he is more mature. It is a pleasure to watch him. He comes across as a person who accepts any suggestion. It is very good news.” Regarding the lineup, he added: “We will field the most suitable team for tomorrow’s match. We have it in mind, but tonight we will give it the final touches. If he starts from the beginning, it is because we believe that is when he can be most influential.”
De la Fuente also touched on the quality of Spanish coaching. “It is all the result of training,” he said. “You have to invest in footballers, but the ones who train them well are the good coaches. Coaches are increasingly better prepared.”
Looking ahead to the Czech Republic, he warned against complacency. “There are no easy matches. You have to be excellent in every match. They are a very difficult opponent who can be a trap for those who do not know them, but they are not going to surprise us. A lot of people will be surprised when they see them.”
Finally, asked about the Cristiano case, De la Fuente declined to comment. “I can’t comment on it because I don’t have the facts,” he said. “Every situation is unique and unrepeatable.”