Spain can shine
World Cup team in good hands with Lopetegui, Puyol says
Carles Puyol is confident Spain can return from poor recent tournament form to shine again at this summer’s World Cup in Russia.
La Furia Roja (Red Fury) were the first and only side to win three major tournaments in a row with two European Championships in 2008 and 2012, either side of their first World Cup win in 2010.
Since then however, and coinciding with Barcelona defender Puyol’s international retirement in 2013, the Spaniards failed to get out of the group at the 2014 World Cup and crashed out of the Last 16 at Euro 2016.
“At the last World Cup and Euros the results didn’t come,” said Puyol at the du Football Champions (duFC) finals at Dubai Mall ice rink on Friday. “But now we have a very strong team combined with youth and very clear ideas from the coach, who has a good philosophy,” he added of Julen Lopetegui, who took over from Vicente Del Bosque in 2016.
Since taking charge, Lopetegui has qualified Spain for the World Cup, topping their qualifying pool at the expense of Italy, while going unbeaten in a total 18 games, including friendlies, the last of which was a 6-1 hammering of Argentina.
“The team is in good hands and the coach has been working very well, so let’s see what physical condition they will be in come the World Cup.
“I feel confident they will play a good role in the World Cup but they are not alone as other teams are also doing things well, so let’s see what happens.”
Puyol, 40, played 100 games for Spain between 2000 and 2013, and was part of both the Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010 winning squads, missing Euro 2012 due to a knee injury.
He also spent his entire club career at Barcelona, winning six La Liga titles and three Champions League honours.
Barca are out of this year’s Champions League after a 4-4 last-eight away-goals-defeat to Roma, but they are just one win away from clinching La Liga. “It’s a pity what happened in the Champions League,” he added of Barca’s current season. “But despite that they have had a good season.
“They have been playing very well and are unbeaten in the league in I don’t know how many matches (40 games since April 8, 2017, when they last lost to Malaga 2-0 away under former coach Luis Enrique).
“The work of [Ernesto] Valverde in his first year is praiseworthy,” he said of the new coach, who only took over from Enrique last summer.
Puyol was in Dubai with former Brazilian World Cup winning defender Roberto Carlos on Friday to take part in a legends match during the duFC finals at Dubai Mall ice rink. The pair also launched du Sports, a new online portal for customers on ‘My World.’
I feel confident they will play a good role in the World Cup but they are not alone as other teams are also doing things well, so let’s see what happens.”
Carles Puyol » Former Spanish footballer
If it was a farewell, Andres Iniesta went out in style. The veteran midfielder is expected to soon confirm he’s leaving Barcelona at the end of the season. He couldn’t have asked for a better way to say goodbye.
Iniesta scored amid a brilliant performance as Barcelona crushed Sevilla 5-0 in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday, and became the first team in 85 years to win four straight Copa titles.
“It was a great night, for me and for the whole team,” Iniesta said. “There were a lot of strong emotions, a lot of different feelings. I’m happy to be able to help the team win this title.”
Despite a lifetime contract at Barcelona, the 33-year-old Iniesta has been linked to a move to Chinese football. He will reveal his decision in the next week. “It’s a spectacle to watch Andres play,” Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said. “He has to make a decision and see if he wants to come back next season.”
Luis Suarez scored twice and Lionel Messi and Philippe Coutinho also made the scoresheet for Barcelona’s record-extending 30th Copa triumph, and sixth in the last decade. “We played a great match, with a lot of determination,” Valverde said.
Sevilla was trying to win a sixth Copa and save a season which will end without any trophies and maybe not even a place in the Europa League next season. “Barcelona ... played a formidable match,” Sevilla coach Vincenzo Montella said.
Huge ovation
The final took place at Atletico Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in the capital amid the ongoing political turmoil involving Catalonia’s bid for independence.
There were jeers by part of the Barcelona crowd when the national anthem was played, but the boos were largely subdued by the reaction of the numerous Sevilla fans in the crowd. Spain’s King Felipe VI smiled and saluted the fans after the anthem.
Suarez opened the scoring with a shot into the open net after a breakaway that started with goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen in the 14th minute. Cillessen made a long pass from inside his area to Coutinho. The Brazilian playmaker entered the box free from markers before making a pass back to Suarez, who just tapped the ball in.
Messi scored with a midheight shot from the middle of the area after a great back-heel pass by Jordi Alba off the end line. Messi became the second player to score in five Copa del Rey finals, after Athletic Bilbao’s Telmo Zarra.
Suarez scored again before halftime with a low shot after picking up a great through ball by Messi and fending off a defender while entering the area.
Iniesta scored the fourth in the 52nd after a quick exchange of passes with Messi. He dribbled past goalkeeper David Soria and shot into an empty net.
Iniesta received a huge ovation by fans from both clubs when he was substituted near the end of the match. He then lifted the trophy, his sixth in the Copa.
Last year, Iniesta became the first player to sign a lifetime contract with Barcelona, a deal allowing him to keep playing for the club for as long as he remained fit. Coutinho closed the scoring by converting a 69thminute penalty kick after a handball by a Sevilla defender.
No other team had won four Copa titles in a row since Athletic Bilbao from 1930-33. The only other team to do it was Real Madrid from 1905-08.
There were a lot of strong emotions, a lot of different feelings. I’m happy to be able to help the team win this title.” Andres Iniesta » Barcelona’s midfielder