Spain has announced four changes to its lineup for the World Cup match against Saudi Arabia, with Lamine Yamal, Pedro Porro, Dani Olmo, and Alex Baena replacing Marcos Llorente, Fabian Ruiz, Ferran Torres, and Gavi.
The starting eleven for Spain includes: Simon, Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella, Gonzalez, Rodri, Yamal, Olmo, Baena, and Oyarzabal. The substitutes are Raya, Joan Garcia, Pubill, Grimaldo, Eric Garcia, Llorente, Merino, Torres, Fabian, Gavi, Pino, Williams, Zubimendi, Munoz, and Iglesias.
On the Saudi side, the lineup features Al Owais, Abdulhamid, Tambakti, Lajami, Al Amri, Al Harbi, Nasser Al Dawsari, Al Khaibari, Al Juwayr, Al Buraikan, and Salem Al Dawsari. Their substitutes are Al Aqidi, Al Kassar, Majrashi, Yahya, Al Shehri, Al Boushal, Kadesh, Al Johani, Al Ghannam, Al Hajji, Al Hamdan, Mandash, Kanno, Thakri, and Abu Al Shamat.
The referee for the match will be Raphael Claus from Brazil.
There is speculation that one of the Saudi players might shine in this high-stakes game.
In a related note, a public screening of the match in Madrid has been canceled due to a heatwave.
The event, which was to take place at a fan zone in Plaza de Colón, was called off after the national weather agency issued an orange heat warning for the Madrid region, predicting temperatures could soar to 40°C.
Madrid city officials stated, “The decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the health of attendees, event staff and support services involved in the event,” apologizing for any inconvenience caused.
Authorities are advising fans to watch the match indoors in air-conditioned environments and to limit their exposure to the extreme heat.
Currently, large parts of Spain are experiencing unseasonably high temperatures, attributed to a hot air mass moving in from North Africa.
Thirteen of Spain’s 17 regions are under orange alert for heat, and the Basque Country is under a red alert, the highest warning level.
Officials have urged residents and visitors to take measures to protect themselves during this heatwave, including staying hydrated, limiting outdoor activities during peak heat hours, and looking after vulnerable individuals.
Looking back, can Saudi Arabia replicate their stunning victory from the 2022 World Cup?
“Those at the Champions League final had a few more days, so I got there on the Wednesday night,”
“I arrived a bit before Fabián [Ruiz]. I was saying hello to some of the others in reception when he arrived. I went to say congratulations; that was almost the first thing I did. I couldn’t really talk [to him] after the final; I just didn’t have it in me. The next day we talked about the game properly. Just two mates chatting … I was happy for him that he could lift the trophy for a second time.”
Unai Simon’s selection over David Raya is a decision that has sparked debate among fans and analysts alike.
“If we had scored one, the game would have changed,” said Raya. “There’s nothing to reproach the team for,”
This match represents a significant challenge for the reigning European champions, as noted by Sid Lowe.
“We generated chances but couldn’t put it away; the good thing is they created almost nothing.” said Martín Zubimendi. Immediately following the match, De la Fuente provided a straightforward analysis: when the ball doesn’t want to go in, it doesn’t want to go in. Spain managed to take 27 shots, with Ferran Torres hitting the bar and another clear opportunity saved. Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who stopped that, saved six more shots and was named man of the match. “There’s nothing to reproach the team for,” Rodri remarked. “We generated chances but couldn’t put it away; the good thing is they created almost nothing.”
Anticipation builds around Lamine Yamal’s potential impact in today’s match, as his coach hopes to utilize him effectively.
“The worst mistake we could make would be to compare him to anyone. He is in the midst of a process. He has exceptional footballing maturity and lives it all with total naturalness. He has great serenity and strength. We have to let him follow his path but those players who have something different are ready for that. They’re geniuses, like Dalí [who] can paint a picture, or Michelangelo. They’re different. What is exceptional to us isn’t to them. In those extremes, they feel comfortable. Why? Because they are different. What we think is exceptional, they consider normal.”
Spain’s campaign has had a rocky start, and Luis de la Fuentes may find himself reflecting on his team’s performance as they prepare to face Saudi Arabia, who recently put up a strong fight against Uruguay. The memories of their stunning victory over Argentina four years ago loom large, reminding Spain of the potential threat. It is crucial for Spain not to head into their final match against Uruguay with an unfavorable position. All eyes will be on Lamine Yamal, as his fitness remains uncertain, but Spain will need their forwards to step up.
Kick-off is set for 5pm UK time, 1pm ET, and 2am AEST. Stay tuned for updates.
