The officiating at the FIFA World Cup is coming under increasing scrutiny over the past week, following a series of strange decisions, and a general impunity towards physical play. Spain were the victims of both during their clash against Uruguay, and look set to pay the price.
La Roja have not been particularly impressive so far in their opening three games, only really kicking into gear against Saudi Arabia for the first half. De la Fuente has defended his side’s play throughout, and again said that his side did well to compete in a scenario that was not familiar to them.
“This team’s work is worthy of praise. We aren’t used to playing matches like this, yet we handled it well. From now on, the demands will be greater, but I believe this team is very solid. It is worth highlighting that this team concedes few goals and is capable of scoring plenty. They surprise me every day. This match was worlds apart from our usual style of play, yet we knew how to handle it,” he told Diario AS.
“I hope we can play normal matches”
Late on in the encounter, Agustin Canobbio was sent off for a reckless challenge on Pau Cubarsi, but in Spain, there were significant complaints about the permissiveness of the referee. De la Fuente said he hoped his side could play ‘normal games’.
“I continue to admire Marcelo Bielsa. It is the players who play the matches. We knew it was going to be an extremely demanding game. It isn’t the type of match where we feel most comfortable. But that is what the referee is there for. It was a match played right on the edge, with extreme physicality. And we rose to the occasion.”
“Refereeing is difficult, but that is what VAR is for, to help in all kinds of matches. I hope we can play normal matches. regarding the challenges for the ball and the intensity, and focus on the football itself. I don’t want to talk about the referees anymore. I have enough to worry about regarding the game itself. Ultimately, everyone has their own responsibilities.”
De la Fuente confirmed that Yeremy Pino has suffered a shoulder injury, and he could be out of the remainder of the tournament as a result. Nico Williams is also a doubt, both being involved in aggressive challenges from their opponents.
De la Fuente: Demands at World Cup are different to Euros
During the clash with Uruguay, La Roja managed just a single shot on target from Alex Baena, which proved to be the difference. De la Fuente explained that it was no surprise his side were not performing as they did during their swashbuckling Euro 2024 win.
“I have blind faith in this team, knowing that the demands of a World Cup differ from those of the European Championship. The national teams we face have different characteristics. The starting point is different, but I have total and absolute confidence in this squad. I believe that, with our 34-game unbeaten run, we have surpassed Brazil. That shows this team aims for the highest level, and I think we are on the right track.”
Nonetheless, Spain qualified first, and will face the runner-up of Group J in the Round of 32. That is currently set to be Austria, but Algeria can overtake them with a win in their final match.
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