Spain vs England: La Roja, favourites in Euro 2024 last

• Jordi Blanco, Correspondent in Barcelona July 13, 2024, 3:48 PM ET

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  • He has watched Barcelona on the Camp Nou since he was a baby. • He started working for the Diario de Barcelona in 1987, becoming a member of the editorial workers of the newspaper Sport two years later. • Since July 2013 he has been a correspondent for ESPN Deportes Digital in Barcelona.

Spain returns to Berlin, the place it started its journey in Euro 2024, to play as favourites within the last in opposition to England, who’re searching for their revenge

BARCELONA — Spain returns to Berlin, to compete within the spectacular Olympic Stadium last of the Euro 2024 by which he jumps like favourite In entrance of 1 England who’re in search of revenge after shedding to Italy final 12 months,

Luis de la Fuente additionally hopes to grow to be the primary coach to win a triple of continental titles with a nationwide group: under-19 in 2015, under-21 in 2019 and senior in 2024, which is able to put Spain again within the highlight.

The Euro 2024 trophy poses on the pitch at Berlin’s Olympiastadion Getty Photographs

Arrive The Crimson to their coaching camp in Donaueschingen on 9 June with an virtually immaculate qualifying document (seven wins and only one defeat in Scotland) however removed from the limelight.

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They have been within the second group, and fortunately, far behind France or Germany within the forecasts. Even Italy, Portugal, England or Belgium appeared to have extra choices they usually have been content material to match Luka Modric’s Croatia or Ronald Koeman’s Parisian Netherlands. And there they’re once more, in Berlin, the place all of it started, to finish it with, who is aware of, a brand new exhibition.

“We’re going to full the checklist of getting gone by means of all of the greats of this competitors,” warned De la Fuente, half jokingly on Friday throughout a chat with RTVE.

That is nothing, including six wins in as many video games, a document by no means seen within the event, and overcoming Croatia, Italy, Germany and France earlier than assembly an England that in a completely completely different manner, reaches the ultimate after having given a great footballing sensation solely (and briefly) within the semi-final in opposition to the Netherlands.

Spain started by destroying Croatia, then went on to subdue Italy (the final champion) and had the pleasure of eliminating the host Germany first after which the favorite France. Each considered one of them fell consecutively, surrendering to the combo that the Spanish coach managed to assemble.

The selection of Marc Cucurella at left again, Pedri within the attacking midfield and the audacity in retaining the presence of Nico Williams and the younger Lamine Yamal on the head of the assault unchanged have been stunning.

De la Fuente stoically endured the gossip concerning the presence of an injured Aymeric Laporte, whose place was taken within the debut by Nacho, however the entire, the block, the group, was the one which, absolutely oiled, responded to those that didn’t need to see Spain among the many favourites (or didn’t dare).

This group returns to the stadium the place it made its debut, giving Croatia a run-through, one month and 6 days after touchdown within the Black Forest, the location of a coaching camp that ended up stunning everybody, not just for the wonderful environment amongst these referred to as up, but additionally for the normality and kindness with which Luis de la Fuente handled the journalists, grateful for a proximity that they’d not seen in a coach.

And in a group that, regardless of having a really outlined beginning eleven (by which solely Pedri’s harm brought about a change for a monumental Dani Olmo), has loved a squad that’s as homogeneous as it’s attentive.

Jesús Navas, Nacho, Mikel Merino, Mikel Oyarzabal and Ferran Torres have been the posh supporting gamers who responded beautifully though they knew they have been within the shadow of a gaggle led by Rodri and inspired by these children who shine with Lamine Yamal on the entrance.

England, who misplaced the ultimate in opposition to Italy in 2021 and whose checklist of achievements is restricted to the 1966 World Cup, are a rival with very unhealthy recollections for Spain.

They gained each qualifying matches in 1968, defeated them within the group stage in 1980 and eradicated them on penalties within the 1996 quarter-finals, with Gareth Southgate on the pitch.

After 28 years, in an unprecedented last, La Roja will search to grow to be the only real queen of the competitors by including the fourth title in its historical past after these achieved in 1964 (in opposition to the USSR), 2008 (in opposition to Germany) and 2012 (in opposition to Italy).

35 days after arriving in Germany, Luis de la Fuente’s improbable Spain can be heading to the ultimate stage of the Euro Cup, the 51st match of the event, returning to the imposing Olympic Stadium in Berlin. England awaits them there… and glory.