De la Fuente: "I have made very few mistakes since I arrived here"

No adversity or challenge can bend the almost flawless line of Luis de la Fuente since he took over as head coach nearly two years ago. Two titles out of two possible in his possession and on the way to a third, in the quarter-finals of the Nations League, the man from La Rioja weathered the storm of absences with flying colors this time.

The bar is set so high that it is difficult to maintain, but it does not worry the conductor of La Roja: "Blessed problem, God willing this continues. When you accumulate many victories, you are closer to defeat, but this team is insatiable. It wants more and more, and we enjoy everything we do so much that it is hard not to be so."

"What surprises me is that you are surprised by these players. It seems that because they are not in certain teams, they are not as good, but with more or less name, they give the performance they give. I have made very few mistakes since I arrived here, let's see if anyone remembers," he asserted, recalling the value of the alternatives he has against the absences.

"It's not about being arrogant, some things are just as they are. Another in these circumstances would rely on charisma and call it a day. I'll leave it there, deal with it," he noted in reference to the criticism of his attitude, significantly more assertive in this international break. "We form a fantastic, exceptional work group, from the physios and doctors to the equipment staff, and that gives great power. We all have the same merit, including the press," he added, equally distributing the merit of the success to which Spain seems to cling in recent times.

The coach is clear about the formula for success. "Recover what we call the 'spirit of 2010'. The results accompany us, but it is a pleasure to see this audience. It is impressive and makes me feel proud, but we all have to nurture this breeding ground and not get into club conflicts, this is the Spanish national team and there are no clubs here," he recommended.

"I am very happy for Morata. The fact that they chanted his name shows that things have changed. We have two penalty specialists, Álvaro (Morata) and Mikel (Oyarzabal), who also wanted Álvaro to take it," he finally analyzed in relation to the constant support of the Córdoba audience for Spain's number 7.