Euro 2020: Spain remain spirited despite heartbreaking defeat by Italy
Spain remain spirited despite Euro 2020 heartbreak with Luis Enrique emboldened following semi-final shootout defeat to Italy… and with Pedri emerging as the country’s new Andres Iniesta, there is plenty to be hopeful about
- Spain remain spirited despite their Euro 2020 heartbreak on Tuesday night
- The Spaniards missed out on the final after a dramatic shootout at Wembley
- However, Luis Enrique remains positive about the future of his young side
- The likes of Pedri and Ansu Fati provide hope for the future of the Spanish
- Find out the latest Euro 2020 news including fixtures, live action and results here
The music played on in the Spain dressing room at Wembley in the early hours of Wednesday morning after their semi-final defeat by Italy, with coach Luis Enrique urging his players to look forward to next year’s World Cup.
‘This isn’t a sad night, far from it,’ he said, after congratulating each member of his squad. Asked if he had been the man to turn the music on and lift spirits he said: ‘I’m tired of seeing kids crying at youth tournaments after they’ve been knocked out. I don’t know why they are crying.
‘Obviously the players are annoyed because it’s an opportunity that doesn’t present itself that often but we have to know how to manage defeat and show the kids that when you lose you don’t cry. You try again in the next tournament.’
Spain remain spirited despite their Euro 2020 heartbreak at Wembley on Tuesday night
Back in Spain there was already a wave of optimism building ahead of next year’s World Cup, largely based on the emergence of a new leader, teenager Pedri.
The Barcelona midfielder, billed as the next Andres Iniesta in Spain even before the tournament started, played every minute and Luis Enrique described his Euros as ‘completely illogical’.
The Spain coach said: ‘What we have seen from Pedri in this Euros we haven’t seen from an 18-year-old in any tournament ever, not from Iniesta at the same age, no one.
The Spaniards crashed out following a dramatic penalty shootout against the Italians
However, manager Luis Enrique is emboldened by his side’s showing at the tournament
‘The way he played, the way he interpreted the game, his positioning, his character, I’ve never seen anything like it.’
Mentioning another Barcelona 18-year-old Ansu Fati, who he said would have been at the Euros if not for injury, he added: ‘We have to look after our young players.
‘I just hope we can go to the next World Cup with a group that is as strong and united as this one.’
Enrique also explained his decision to leave Alvaro Morata out of the starting line-up against Italy, revealing it was based on trying to nullify the dominance of Italy’s centre-backs Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci.
The former Barcelona boss demanded that his players stop crying after their defeat
He said: ‘We saw what they did to [Romelu] Lukaku so we wanted to leave them without a point of reference.’
He also revealed Morata finished extra-time with a groin injury but still insisted on taking a penalty, one of two kicks not scored by Spain as they went out.
After Spain’s shootout defeat Gerard Pique criticised the current rules arguing there is too much of an advantage to the team kicking first.
Pique tweeted: ‘It’s not a coincidence that in the four penalty shoot-outs we have seen at the Euros and the Copa America the team shooting first has won.’
Youngsters like Pedri have provided hope that the future looks bright for the Spanish side
Pique believes there is greater pressure psychologically on the team shooting second because they always have the feeling they are merely catching up with their opponent, often needing to score to level without the feeling of being in front.
His proposed alternative would see a tennis tiebreak style system where one team take the first kick but thereafter each team takes two penalties before the other side steps up and takes two, so effectively sharing the feeling of being ahead.
‘It’s not fair that in a tournament you lose this advantage just because you lose a coin toss,’ Pique added.
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