Enrique expects Slovakia to play for draw in group decider

Luis Enrique

Spain coach Luis Enrique says he expects Slovakia to sit deep and defend in today’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 were unable to break down an ultra-defensive Sweden in a goalless draw in their opening game and although Poland showed more ambition and pressed them high, they still could only draw 1-1. The three-times European champions are third in the group and need a win to guarantee their place in the last 16 but Slovakia are second and a draw would be enough to take them through. “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.” Slovak coach hopes to ride luck to last 16 Slovakia may sit above Spain in Group E but remain firm underdogs going into their Euro 2020 clash to decide who makes it into the knockouts, coach Stefan Tarkovic said. With the quality they have and the chances they create, we will need to be lucky to defend against them and neutralize their strikers,” Tarkovic said. The probable return of Spanish captain Sergio Busquets after Covid-19 isolation will heighten Slovakia’s challenge. “I expect Busquets will return to the side, to bring higher quality and calmness in the middle of the pitch,” Tarkovic said. Slovakia, who reached the knockouts in both their prior Euros, beat Poland in their opener before losing to Sweden in a game where they failed to register a shot on target. While the coach expects Spain to dominate possession, he wants the Slovaks to transition quickly from defence to attack, and keep the ball as much as possible to break Spain’s rhythm. “They haven’t been clinical in finishing and that is creating pressure for them,” Tarkovic said of Spain’s misfiring but still intimidating team. “For me they are still top favourites. They have the quality and nothing has changed with that in the last two games.” Other than injured forward Ivan Schranz and defender Denis Vavro, who tested positive for Covid-19, all Slovakia’s players are available. Team captain Marek Hamsik said the Slovaks would rely on their defence to see them through and were not complacent due to Spain’s slow start. “Everyone is surprised but that doesn’t mean anything for us,” he said. “If we want to qualify we need to get something from this game.”