De La Fuente. I was surprised by the level of Iraq

De La Fuente commented on France’s defeat against Ivory Coast

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente made no secret of his mixed feelings after the 1-1 draw with Iraq as both teams prepare for the World Cup finals.

“AS” newspaper published the statements of De La Fuente during the press conference, where he said. “The friendly match against Iraq was not meant for show, as much as it was for physical training.”

He added: “We wanted a match with a strong physical nature that would help the players adjust ahead of the World Cup.”

He continued. “I was surprised by the level of the Iraqi team. In the first half, we had a hard time stopping their movements.”

Matador coach said. “Iraq’s rhythm was good with good team play. They are an exciting team and have a lot of energy. They put pressure on us and make it difficult.”

He emphasized: “We have another friendly match in 4 days, we are clear about the goalkeeper and other key players.”

The Barcelona star continues to show the quality he possesses

The match witnessed the debut of a number of players for the Spanish national team such as Marc Bernal, John Martin, Gonzalo, Torrentes, Xavi Guerra, Marc Popel, Xavi Rodriguez and Leo Roman.

“They all deserved it,” De La Fuente said. “The match allowed us to give some players a chance as Bernal continues to show the quality he has despite his young age.”

He noted: “Xavi Rodríguez is an interesting player and had a great season with Celta. Borja Iglesias, whom we know well, is a guarantee of the game and can give us a lot.

“We are all at this stage. The Netherlands also lost. Players must adapt to this new reality. After days without competition, the rhythm needs to be restored in the international environment, which is much more difficult than at club level.”

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