In the pre-match conference for Spain's UEFA Europa League round 2 match against Switzerland, manager De La Fuente not only gave an in-depth analysis of the match itself, but also expressed his views on the conflict of interest between the national team and the club.
De La Fuente started off by mentioning the impact the turf condition could have on the game. He bluntly stated that the turf was in poor condition, but that the team had to adapt and overcome this difficulty. He emphasized the players' ability to adapt and said that the team will try to minimize the impact of the turf.
Talking about the squad, De La Fuente spoke highly of youngster Yamal's performance, saying that his talent and growth is a great blessing for the national team. At the same time, he also revealed the physical condition of players such as Rodney and said that the team will arrange the playing XI according to the actual condition of the players.
Addressing the issue of conflict of interest between the national team and the club, De La Fuente expressed his position. He believes that all players want to represent their country and clubs should support this. He emphasized that it is the duty of the national team coach to select the best players to play and not to give special treatment to players just because they belong to a certain club. He criticized the hypocritical attitude of some clubs towards the national team coach in terms of players' playing time, arguing that it was unfair.
De La Fuente also talked about how the tight schedule affects the players and the team. He said that although the schedule is tight, the team must play according to the schedule. He emphasized that all players want to come to the national team and clubs want their own players to be selected for the national team, so both the national team and clubs are victims of the schedule.
Speaking about the Swiss team, De La Fuente said they will face a tough opponent. He believes that the Swiss are one of the best performing teams in the Euros and although they are missing some of their core players, their overall strength is still not to be underestimated. He reminded the team that they have to be well prepared for a tough match.
Finally, De La Fuente revealed some of the adjustments the team might make in the starting lineup. He said that the team has to make some changes considering the physical condition of the players and the load of the schedule. He will decide on the final starting lineup based on this afternoon's training session and hopes that the session will clear his doubts. At the same time, he also revealed some changes in the forward line, due to Olmo's injury and unable to participate in the training, the team will have two strikers with different characteristics to fill the vacancy.
