ENRIQUE’S END GAME
Do or die for Spain:
luis Enrique’s short reign as national boss hangs by a thread as Spain go into their do-or-die clash with Slovakia tonight. Back-to-back draws with Sweden and Poland have left them needing a win to qualify.
Victory puts them through and a draw will be enough to progress as one of the best four third-placed teams. But a draw coupled with a Poland win would mean Spain finish bottom of Group E.
The humiliation of being sent ‘home’ having been handed three games in Seville would make it nigh-on impossible for Enrique to survive.
Spain supporters have turned on the 51-year-old because of the loyalty he has shown to under-fire former Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata as well as failing to name a squad containing not a single player from Real Madrid and only three from Barcelona.
It is no secret that Enrique prides himself on being very much his own man but elimination for a team that dominated world football between 2008 and 2012 would prove too big a load to bear.
And although Enrique insists “our future is still very much in our own hands”, the 2010 World Cup winners and threetimes European Championship winners have left their fans underwhelmed.
They now face Slovakia, who have a very good record in final group matches – they beat Italy in the 2010 World Cup to go through and in 2016 they drew with England to progress.
Spain’s players are adamant they will be treating tonight’s match just as if the knockout stages had begun – because there is no other way.
Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta says: “The team have lots of hunger to get on with winning against Slovakia. “We wish we’d got more points. That’s not the reality of the situation, but it’s crucial in football to depend on yourself. We’re at home. It’s like a knockout game.” And fellow defender Pau Torres agreed, saying: “It’s like the knockout stages are with us already. No one in Spain should be in any doubt that we will be doing everything to win and qualify in this one game.”
Yet another Spanish defender Jordi Alba joined the rallying call, insisting: “We’re used to pressure like this. Personally, I’m convinced we will go through.
“We just have to keep believing. If we win this game, we’re through. It’s as simple as that.”
It will all make for a tense encounter tonight and Slovakia defender Tomas Hubocan said: “There will be huge drama in our group. There are lots of permutations before the final games.”