Iran plan for supermen

from GEORGE SCOTT

IRAN coach Carlos Queiroz admits he has no magic potion to help his side cope with Spain’s supermen.

But the former Real Madrid boss promised his side will show no lack of fight.

Iran head into tonight’s clash in Kazan full of confidence thanks to a 1-0 victory over Morocco.

Despite Spain’s quality, Queiroz insists Iran will not be parking the bus.

He said: “I have to say, if there was a magic potion to stop Spain that we could buy for a million dollars, we would buy it.

“What we can do is keep our determination and our capacity to endure suffering.

“When we defend, which we will have to for many moments, we will fight collectively. What we cannot do is to defend and then surrender, that would be dishonest.

“When we have the ball, we must try to win. What happens then is up to the football gods. We don’t have supermen like Spain, but we can do super things.”

Spain playmaker Andres Iniesta, who scored the winner for Spain in the 2010 World Cup Final, says the fallout from the sacking of boss Julen Lopetegui has not stopped them dreaming of lifting the trophy again.

He said: “Athletes always dream of the maximum, which would be to win a World Cup again. I am aware that it is a complicated task, that it will take us a lot of work.

“But beyond dreaming long term we will dream short term and that means tomorrow we have a new final.”

Spain boss Fernando Hierro said David De Gea will bounce back from his howler which gifted Cristiano Ronaldo the second of his hattrick in the draw with Portugal.

Hierro said: “He’s one of the two or three best goalkeepers in the world. He will play, we trust him.”