Spain to Face Bulgaria on October 14 in Valladolid

Spain's national team will face Bulgaria on October 14 in Valladolid. José Zorrilla Stadium will host La Roja's fourth World Cup qualifier, which will take place next year in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Three days after facing Georgia in Elche, the team led by Luis de la Fuente will head to Pucela to compete against another Eastern European team. This match marks their return to the Castilian-Leonese city nearly two years after their last encounter against Georgia, which ended in a 3-1 victory for the locals, thanks to goals from Robin Le Normand, Ferran Torres, and an own goal by Lochoshvili, while Kvicha Kvaratskhelia scored for the visitors.

The match held on November 19, 2019, was bittersweet due to a severe knee injury suffered by Gavi. The Barcelona midfielder had to leave the field in the 26th minute, making way for Oihan Sancet, after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in an unfortunate incident. Gavi's injury left fans in shock, filling José Zorrilla Stadium, where Spain will return on October 14 with their sights set on next year's World Cup.

This will be the Spanish national team's fifth visit to José Zorrilla, a venue built for the 1982 World Cup hosted by Spain and inaugurated on February 20 of the same year with a match between Valladolid and Athletic.

The relationship between the Spanish national team and Valladolid's home began with a friendly in 1992 against the United States, resulting in a 2-0 victory for the team then led by Javier Clemente, thanks to goals from Txiqui Beguiristain and Fernando Hierro. Five years later, La Roja returned to Pucela to face the Czech Republic in a match that secured their qualification for the 1998 World Cup. Fernando Hierro scored the only goal of that encounter. In 2006, the Spanish national team, then led by Luis Aragonés, returned to play a friendly against Ivory Coast, which ended in a 3-2 victory for the locals, with goals from David Villa, José Antonio Reyes, and Juanito.