The top scorer of the era of Luis de la Fuente He is not his captain, Morata (seven), nor the multifunctional Dani Olmo (six) nor the opportunist Joselu. The player who gave the most goals in red since De La Fuente sat on the absoluto bench is Mikel Oyarzabal, with nine. “You have to give value to this. The Netherlands are a great team, with great players. They do not put easy things. Although it was expensive, the important thing was to pass and we did it. The importance of the group and that we all add,” said Oyarzabal, after Spain was classified for the semifinal of the League of Nations, on June 5 against France. “Great emotion and blessed suffering. By enjoying a game that could be a final. We saw in the development of the game that was. A great selection on the other side, very powerful.
Although Mestalla has turned on with any dribbling from Nico Williams’ installer and exploded with the aim of Lamine Yamal, Oyarzabal, a less explosive and certainly less charismatic footballer than his attack teammates, was the striker who left for Valencia. Only one name was more sung by the fans: that of Iniesta. But, of course, he was not on the field.
The previous duel of the quarter -finals between Spain and the Netherlands had been marked by crossed agents between Nico WilliamSy Xavi Simons. “In Spain we will paint their face,” Athletic said. And the Dutch replied: “We will see him.” Nico Williams clarified his words and Koeman understood: “He is a good boy”. But another thing that has even done more noise between Spain and the Netherlands: the cheering he had received in Róterdam with Van Persie’s aim in the 2014 World Cup. It happened that he scored three goals, but also the Netherlands and the penalty roulette canceled the euphoria of the Mestalla fans, who had been turned on when the videomercator recalled the goal of Iniesta in the final of the 2010 World Cup, both to say goodbye Oyarzabal when Ferran replaced him: “Mikel, Mikel, Mikel”.
Eleven usually shakes from the source. Respectful of the hierarchies, also with the trajectory of the players of La Roja, the coach does not seek his importance, but the triumph of the collective. Under this line of thought, from the source he returned the property to Unai Simon as soon as he passed his injury, while still without living on the field in Olmo and Pedri. “I don’t know what interest you have to play or stop playing,” he complains when he is asked of the compatibility of the Barça players. However, the technician did not tremble the pulse to send Pedro Porro to the bench, much less to remove the captain from the team, one of his most protected players: Morata. He has no 7 -year -old puppy who embraced Oyarzabal after his second goal.
Last Friday, Morata did not skip to train with the rest of her teammates. As explained by the Federation, the captain was “indisposed”. Yes, Saturday. “Everyone is in perfect condition,” he warned the source in the previous one. Therefore, when the coach decided to leave the captain on the bench to place from 9 to Oyarzabal, the decision was technique. The coach did not fail. He did not do it with Huijsen instead of Asencio to replace the injured Cubarsí, or with the change of Mingueza for leek for greater defensive safety and Olmo da Pedri to accelerate in the transitions. Of course, he did not fail in the election of Oyarzabal.
“It was a very open game. Two teams with a similar football. We always offer an attack and a lot of attacks. That’s why the viewer has enjoyed a lot today. The game has not been controlled sometimes. It is very nice to spend like this. You have to evaluate the number of this group of players. To enjoy another great ending.” We know that this competition has to face the best in Europe. We have faced a great team as a Netherlands and now we will have time to analyze France. We already know him from the Eurocup and the final in the nations. It’s always a very nice game and we will have fun, “added Unai Simon.
The problem was that the improvement of Spain’s performance regarding the first leg to Róterdam was conditioned by the lack of strength in defense. A handicap that stretched the cathartic cry of Mestalla at the last penalty: then the hero was not Oyarzabal but Pedri.
