7 & EL Spain paint the town red as they pay homage to Pep’s swashbuckling style
PEP GUARDIOLA will probably never manage Spain – but his fingerprints are once again all over their blazing red shirts.
Twelve years after his brilliant Barcelona team was the cornerstone of his country’s only World Cup success, La Roja appear to be fermenting nicely.
Only two of Guardiola’s Manchester City stars – Aymeric Laporte and Rodri – were in Luis Enrique’s team for the blitz of Costa Rica, with former Blues’ winger Ferran Torres on the wing.
But his Catalan philosophy was so obviously on show that Spain might want to think about changing their away shirts to Sky Blue. The ruthlessness to score as many goals as possible for a start.
Torres scored twice, on 31 minutes from the spot and on 54, and Dani Olmo (11), Marco Asensio (21), Gavi (74), Soler (90) and Alvaro Morata (92) also found the net as former Real Madrid keeper Keylor Navas endured probably the worst night of his career.
Spain boss Enrique (right) said: “It was a special game for us. Normally we’re not good in the first game of the tournament, we never normally win, but we were superb in every aspect.
“The goals were good, of course, but Costa Rica didn’t have one chance and I like the fact we dominated from the first whistle.”
Spain can potentially send
Germany home after two games by beating them on Sunday following their shock 2-1 defeat to Japan.
Enrique added: “We’re going to try to win our next game and not speculate on anything else.”
Spain made 1,050 passes and had 72 percent of the ball. Costa Rica were dire. Rodri can be found bossing midfield at the Etihad. Here he was employed as Laporte’s partner in central defence. Chelsea rightback Cesar Azpilicueta tucked himself inside to allow Jordi Alba free reign to raid down the left. And while Guardiola has no shortage of midfield brilliance, he would have loved the way Barca youngsters Gavi and Pedri looked like a teenage version of Andreas Iniesta and Xavi, with the Nou Camp’s ageing enforcer Sergio Busquets the childminder.