ENRIQUE: THIS IS BIGGEST PAIN OF MY SPAIN REIGN

LUIS ENRIQUE vowed a big improvement in the next few weeks after Spain suffered a shock loss.

La Roja had lost only one competitive international at home in the previous 19 years, but doubled that number in Zaragoza.

New Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji gave Switzerland a first-half lead (scoring past Unai Simon, above), before Jordi Alba levelled for Spain just after the break. But Breel Embolo won it for the visitors on 58 minutes.

It meant Spain lost control of the group and must win in Portugal tomorrow or miss the finals. But the manner of the defeat alarmed Enrique (right) more than the result itself, coming so close to the start of the World Cup.

He said: “Portugal have world-class players – we’ve drawn our last three against them. It’s going to be a difficult place to win, but a draw won’t serve us, so we’ll go there to try and take three points.

“I’ve no doubts for the World Cup and how we’ll do based on this. When you lose, you analyse and learn.

“I don’t remember a single match under my reign with so many errors.

“I can’t remember a match with so many technical errors, especially on the two corners where we conceded goals.

“A reflection of the entire game was Jordi getting the equaliser and us conceding almost immediately. Losing always hurts.”

Spain’s Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta said: “We didn’t produce the best first-half performance, we were very imprecise and we didn’t seem sharp.

“We’ve got loads to improve on now to prepare well for the Portugal match.

“It seems that, in Spain, we sometimes like to do things the hard way.”