Spain coach Luis Enrique says he expects Slovakia to sit deep and defend in Wednesday’s crunch Group E game and urged his side to look to score as soon as possible to ensure they qualify for the Euro 2020 knockout stage.
Spain was unable to break down an ultra-defensive Sweden in a goalless draw in its opening game and although Poland showed more ambition and pressed it high, it still could only draw 1-1.
The three-times European champion is third in the group and need a win to guarantee its place in the last 16 but Slovakia is second and a draw would be enough to take it through.
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“They’ll play defensively, without a doubt, a draw will be good enough for them so I hope we can break the deadlock as soon as possible because it’s going to complicated,” the coach told Spanish television network Cuatro ahead of the game.
“We’re in a good frame of mind and prepared for the game, we know that messing up is a possibility but I hope it doesn’t happen.”
Luis Enrique made only one change to his starting line up from the first match to the second, bringing in Gerard Moreno for Ferran Torres.
But in the 15 minutes of Tuesday’s training session open to the media he played a practice game which hinted at a very different approach against Slovakia, with up to six changes.
Spanish media reports said he fielded a team with Cesar Azpilicueta at right back, Jose Gaya at left back at the expense of Marcos Llorente and Jordi Alba, with Eric Garcia coming in for Pau Torres in central defence.
Captain Sergio Busquets and Thiago Alcantara, who started neither game, were seen in the midfield alongside Pedri, who has started both, with Pablo Sarabia joining Moreno and Alvaro Morata in attack.
Never one to give the game away, however, Luis Enrique was tight-lipped when asked if he would make changes.
“I might make changes, then again I might not,” he said.
“Any of the 24 players in our squad is capable of helping us get our first victory.”
