Morocco
The first African team to finish on top of their home team at the World Cup since Nigeria in 1998, wants to register an unprecedented achievement for them and qualify for the quarter-finals, 36 years after their only appearance in the last 16 stage. For that, they will have to do what Nigeria did in that tournament, and become the second African team in history to beat Spain in the World Cup.
Just like its opponent, Morocco is expected to arrive with a full squad, including Madrid native Ashraf Hakimi who has been suffering from ankle pain for the past few days and did not train on Saturday.
Coach Walid Ragarghi, who is expected to continue with the same team, said at the press conference ahead of the meeting: “We will face one of the best teams in the world, one of the favorites to win the World Cup. If we dismiss Spain, we will surprise ourselves and the whole country.”
Winner does not believe that the sensation will continue and gave a ratio of 1.55 for Spain’s victory, compared to 5.50 for Morocco’s victory and 3.50 for a draw. The Spaniards have already shown their two faces in the current World Cup, with incredible ability alongside stumbles of inexperience, but with so much talent it seems that, at least at this stage, it is not worth betting against Luis Enrique’s players.
Spain
“La Roja” has not passed the round of 16 of the World Cup since South Africa 2010, the tournament it won for the first and only time in its history. Furthermore, Spain has since recorded only three World Cup victories, and after being surprised by Japan and finishing only second in Group E, Luis Enrique’s team will try to correct the impression and get back on track to start in the last eight.
Dani Carvajal, Aymeric Laporte, Jordi Alba and Fran Torres are expected to return to the 11 after coming off the bench or resting (in the case of Laporte) against Japan, when the coach is expected to have a full squad at his disposal.
At the press conference before the game, Luis Enrique said: “More than a year ago, I told the players that they should kick at least a thousand penalties when they are with their teams. You can’t prepare for the World Cup only when the team gathers. I don’t think it’s luck, those who train well also improve in penalty kicks. You can’t train In everything that concerns pressure and tension, but it can be dealt with with better preparation. Even in our training there are players who kick penalties, these are part of our homework.”
The coach also said: “Morocco is an excellent team that was outstanding in the group stage. How long will the game end? It doesn’t interest me, I want to control what I can and that’s why we work hard. I keep telling the players to forget about everything and that the result will come. Football is not always Fair game, but I am convinced that we have more advantages than Morocco. We need not only to win, but also to satisfy the crowd.”
Trivia
* The previous (and only ever) meeting between Morocco and Spain in the World Cup was held in Russia 2018, when Iago Espas saved 2:2 to win “La Rocha” in the last round of the group stage.
* Morocco can become the first African team with five consecutive games without a loss in one World Cup. The only one to achieve such a streak was Cameron, but she started it in 1986 and ended in 1990.
* Albero Morata, who scored in each of the three games in the group stage, hopes to equal David Villa – the only Spaniard to find the back of the net in four World Cup games in a row, in 2010.
* After his goal against Canada made Youssef An-Nasri the only Moroccan to score in two different World Cups, the Sevilla striker will try to become the first in his team’s history to reach three career goals in the factory.
The composition of the groups
Morocco
Coach: Walid Ragraghi
The game setup
4:5:1
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2A. wise -
5N. Agar -
6R. stableman -
3N. Mezrawi
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7H. Zaish -
11P. reasonable -
8P. Unakhi -
4S. Amarbat -
17S. Bhopal
Substitutes bench:
Spain
Coach: Luis Enrique
The game setup
4:3:3
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20d. Carvajal -
16Rhodri -
24A. Laporte -
18third. Alba
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26Padre -
5S. Busquets -
9Gabi
-
11P. Torres -
7A. Morata -
21d. hall
Substitutes bench:
The winner of the match between Morocco and Spain will compete in the quarter-finals of the World Cup with the team that will advance from the duel between Portugal and Switzerland.
For the full World Cup broadcast schedule