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Warning his players against complacency despite storming into the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has insisted that “satisfaction can kill,” even after a convincing 3-0 victory over Austria.
La Roja continued their impressive march through the tournament, maintaining a flawless defensive record with three goals and another clean sheet. Forward Mikel Oyarzabal netted a brace, while fullback Pedro Porro scored his first international goal to outclass the Austrians. With this victory, Spain booked their place in the knockout stage, where they will face the winner of the clash between Portugal and Croatia.
While delighted with the dominant display, De la Fuente stressed that his side is still some distance away from its full potential.
“I have many reasons to be happy today. First, because of the victory, we won significantly, and the image of the team was fabulous. But there is still room for improvement. Perhaps you think you have seen the best of us, but this team has not yet reached its capabilities. There is more to do,” De la Fuente told reporters, as per Reuters.
Spain controlled the tempo from the opening whistle, with rising star Lamine Yamal and veteran defender Aymeric Laporte creating early danger. Left-back Marc Cucurella proved to be the architect of the victory, providing cross-field assists for both of Oyarzabal’s goals. Pedro Porro doubled Spain’s advantage after the restart with a well-taken header, while Alex Baena also came close, striking the crossbar.
Despite the emphatic scoreline, the 65-year-old tactician insisted that the performance should only serve as a baseline for the tougher knockout tests ahead.
“Today’s performance should be the foundation for what comes next. We are going to keep improving and doing things better … We are not yet satisfied, we are going for more,” he said.
The Spain coach cautioned his squad against buying into the tournament hype, urging them to maintain defensive discipline after noting lapses in their high-pressing system.
“There were situations where we lacked high pressure. You need to keep improving all the time. When you get flattered and believe it, you become weaker. Satisfaction can kill you,” De la Fuente cautioned.
He was, however, quick to praise Cucurella’s commanding presence on the left flank, describing the defender as “invaluable” and “a top-notch player” following his two-assist performance.
Looking ahead to the Round of 16, where Spain enters as one of the tournament favourites with an unbreached defence, De la Fuente concluded, “The next phase will be increasingly demanding. We have wonderful players, but the only focus is to exceed our own expectations.”-ANI