Luis de la Fuente has spoken publicly about the mood inside the Spain camp following their frustrating 0-0 draw with Cape Verde in their World Cup opener.
The result left Spain with just a single point from their first group game, a performance that clearly left a mark on the squad heading into their next fixture.
De la Fuente confirmed that Lamine Yamal would be available for the match against Saudi Arabia, bringing a significant boost to Spain’s attacking options.
The 18-year-old had only been fit enough to play the final 20 minutes against Cape Verde, as he returned from a hamstring injury that had kept him out for two months.
The injury had ended Yamal’s club season with Barcelona in mid-April, making his return to the pitch at this World Cup a closely watched storyline.
De la Fuente spoke to Diario AS and made clear that he expects changes to the starting lineup for the Saudi Arabia clash, with Yamal set to feature more prominently.
“The analysis is about clarifying concepts and identifying where we’ve been more or less successful,” de la Fuente said, outlining his approach heading into the next game.
“I believe changes are necessary to bring something different. Lamine is fine. He’ll play as much as we deem appropriate. The most important thing is that he’s back. He’s eager to do something significant.”
The Spain manager was also keen to stress that he did not view the Cape Verde draw as a catastrophe, while acknowledging his players were desperate to respond.
“We don’t see it that way. It was a match where, if we’re honest, if it had ended two or three-nil, it would have been different,” he explained, adding nuance to the widespread criticism Spain had faced.
“It’s not a disaster, but we have to win tomorrow, that’s all. There’s no sense of urgency, no pressure.”
Despite that composed outward stance, de la Fuente made no secret of the fact that his players had taken the result personally and were burning to make amends.
“They’re stung… They’re really hurting, and you’ll see them with a different attitude,” he said, suggesting a sharper and more determined Spain side is on the way.
On a personal level, de la Fuente also pushed back against any suggestion that he himself was feeling the heat from a disappointed fanbase and media.
“I feel the same as I did six days ago. Responsible, motivated, excited, and eager to compete tomorrow. We have a clear plan, and I hope we all rise to the occasion.”
The manager also pointed to Portugal as another major contender who had struggled in the opening round, broadening the context of Spain’s stumble.
“Let’s not forget Portugal, one of my favorites. In such a short competition, one mistake on a bad day knocks you out. That’s what makes this competition, in a way, unfair,” he said.
“We know how it works. If you have an off day, don’t let it show. We’ll try to build on that, having already had our average day, and now we need to be at our best. There are no easy opponents here.”
Spain take on Saudi Arabia at 17:00 BST in Atlanta, with the squad widely reported to be fired up and eager to silence their critics with a strong performance.
