After signing a misleading win against Norway in the game that marked the introduction of Luis de la Fuente as national coach, the Spanish team will face Scotland this Tuesday with the aim of raising the bar and adding three points that will grant them the solo leadership of Group A within the qualifying phase for the Eurocup that will be held next year in Germany.
The British team, who also beat Cyprus 3-0 on the opening day, is shaping up to be another thorny rival for La Roja at Hampden Park, one of those scenes full of mystique that the roar of the local fans turns into a cauldron . Returning from Glasgow without any burns would pave the way to the European Championship for a block that is laying the foundations of a new cycle with the aim of making a strong comeback on the international scene and that needs victories that reinforce morale and allow the project that just born put down solid roots.
Spain generated more goals than football last Saturday at La Rosaleda. The hopeful corkage of the duel against the Vikings led by Martin Odegaard gave way to a rough stretch in which La Roja gave up control and was subdued by an opponent who knew how to press their defensive vulnerabilities, but who lacked the fang to tie without Erling Haaland and also ran into a Kepa in a state of grace.
The lucky return of the Chelsea goalkeeper to the Spanish team two and a half years later was one of the best news that the clash in Malaga brought and put pressure on Unai Simón, untouchable with Luis Enrique. But it escapes no one that Luis de la Fuente’s desire is to reduce the screen share of the Basque goalkeeper in the city that bathes the Clyde River and give all the prominence to outfield players, who need to show more hierarchy with the ball and verticality to avoid walking on the wire as happened against Norway.
fresh legs
The lawsuit against the Scandinavians forced Spain to make a huge physical waste, which suggests that Luis de la Fuente will refresh the eleven three days later for another demanding stake in which his pupils will have to give the ‘do’ from the chest. The Navarrese David García can take the alternative in the rearguard axis to face the air power of the Scots, especially in strategic actions.
Rodri is fixed as head of operations in the center of the field, but Spain put another march in La Rosaleda with the irruption of Ceballos and Oyarzabal, who aim to start this time to give La Roja more dynamism. Joselu, a hero in Malaga in what was his debut as an international, will probably take the spearhead after his double, to the detriment of Morata.
The Galician striker will try to take advantage of the streak to look for a turn around for the Tartan Army, which will surely shed its skin after monopolizing possession last Saturday against the defensive Cyprus in a match in which McGinn’s goal in the first half put victory on track , rounded off by McTominay down the stretch with a brace.
The man from Lancaster has lost weight at Manchester United following Casemiro’s arrival at Old Trafford, but he continues to be one of Scotland’s benchmarks, forming a rocky double pivot with Callum McGregor. However, the main game vector for the British is Andrew Robertson, Scotland’s captain and Liverpool bulwark who overturns a good part of the attacks of the team led by the recently renewed Steve Clarke from his left lane. Ché Adams, the Southampton striker who was injured during training on Monday, will be out and Dykes is emerging as his replacement.
Spain and Scotland have met thirteen times, with a record of six wins for La Roja, four draws and three wins for the Tartan Army. In the last clash that both teams fought at Hampden Park, more than twelve years ago, Spain went ahead 0-2 with goals from Villa and Iniesta, but the locals tied with a goal from Naismith and an own goal from Piqué, before that Fernando Llorente, after a pass from Capdevilla, decided the match in favor of the team that Vicente del Bosque was coaching at the time. It will be the sixth time that Spain has played in Glasgow and they only kept a clean sheet once in the previous five, with Chopo Iribar in goal. A lot has happened since then.
-Probable alignments:
Escocia: Gunn, Porteous, Hanley, Tierney, Hickey, McTominay, McGregor, Robertson, McGinn, Armstrong y Dykes.
Spain: Kepa, Carvajal, David García, Laporte, Gayà, Rodri, Merino, Oyarzabal, Ceballos, Gavi and Joselu.
Referee: Sandro Schärer (Switzerland).
Time: 8:45 p.m.
Stadium: Hampden Park.
TV: At 1.