VALENCIA: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente hailed his team’s “inexhaustible” supply of talent on Saturday, ahead of the Nations League quarter-final second leg clash against the Netherlands.
Euro 2024 winners Spain fought back in the 2-2 first leg draw to stay unbeaten in their last 22 competitive games, with Bournemouth center-back Dean Huijsen making his debut as a substitute in Rotterdam on Thursday and impressing.
The defender could be paired with the uncapped Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio on Sunday against the Netherlands, after Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsi hurt his ankle in the first leg.
“For us, many of the (breakthrough) players are not surprising, we know the quality of the raw material we have in this country,” De la Fuente told a news conference.
“We can use players who have made history and who are great players today, with exceptional experience... (and) others who are appearing, and who will make us grow, become more competitive and a better team.
“It’s very healthy and good news for everyone because we know that we have an inexhaustible youth system.”
Spain won the Nations League under De la Fuente in 2023 and then propelled by young wingers Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, roared to Euro 2024 victory in Germany.
De la Fuente took off Barcelona teenager Yamal in the first half of the draw with Netherlands and left Asencio out of the squad entirely.
“This is a squad with great players and we manage it like any team,” continued De la Fuente.
“There are 26 of us, we can have 23 players (in the matchday squad), Raul understood it, and is happy to be here with us and having this experience...
“I can make two exceptional starting line-ups, that’s the luck I have, and we have in this country, but not only these 26 players, we have so many more that could be here as well.”
Netherlands fans created a display in the stands for the first leg which depicted Robin van Persie’s spectacular diving header against Spain during a 5-1 with for the Dutch in the 2014 World Cup.
Asked what he would like to see at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium in response, De la Fuente was certain.
“Three nil on the scoreboard,” joked the Spain coach.
“Tomorrow our fans will be fired up, they will put a lot of pressure on and we will feel powered by a supernatural strength.”
The coach thanked Spain fans for the team’s welcome in the east coast city on Friday, as over 20,000 turned up to show their support at an open training session and donated to support renovations following the devastating floods which hit the Valencia region last October.
“I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it... it will be a historic atmosphere,” added De la Fuente.
Spain coach hails emerging talent ahead of Netherlands clash
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Spain coach hails emerging talent ahead of Netherlands clash
- The defender could be paired with the uncapped Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio on Sunday against the Netherlands
- “For us, many of the (breakthrough) players are not surprising, we know the quality of the raw material we have in this country,” De la Fuente said
Riyadh derby ends in 5-3 thriller as Al-Hilal return to winning ways
- Al-Hilal remain unbeaten after 24 games but sit third on 58 points — one behind leaders Al-Ahli
RIYADH: It was a night to forget for Ali Al-Bulayhi. Loaned to Al-Shabab this winter after nine years at Al-Hilal, his first game against his parent club turned into a nightmare.
Matchday 24 of the Saudi Pro League resumed at the SHG Arena with one of Riyadh’s most entertaining derbies — Al-Hilal vs Al-Shabab. While clashes with Al-Nassr attract greater anticipation, the history between Al-Hilal and Al-Shabab runs deep.
In the inaugural 2008/09 Saudi Pro League season, Al-Shabab held Al-Hilal to a dramatic 1-1 draw, with both sides scoring in stoppage time before chaos erupted. The result handed Al-Ittihad the edge in the title race, which they converted into the league crown. Al-Shabab later thrashed Al-Hilal in the King’s Cup semi-finals en route to lifting the trophy.
The landscape today looks very different. Al-Shabab have flirted with relegation for much of the season, while Al-Hilal, despite remaining in the title race, slipped to third after a poor run of form.
Yet form often counts for little in derby matches. Al-Shabab pushed Al-Nassr close in a 3-2 defeat in January before falling 5-2 to Al-Ahli a month later. For all their defensive frailties, the pairing of Yannick Carrasco and Abderrazzaq Hamed-allah remains dangerous.
It was no surprise, then, when Al-Shabab took the lead after 13 minutes. Al-Hilal’s defensive vulnerabilities were exposed as Carrasco and Saad Yaslam combined down the left, allowing Josh Brownhill a free strike inside the box that he drilled past Yassine Bounou.
With Malcom and Salem Al-Dawsari rested by Simone Inzaghi in favour of Saimon Bouabré and Sultan Mandash — and Karim Benzema absent — belief briefly grew that this could be Al-Shabab’s night.
The momentum shifted quickly. In the 19th minute, Al-Bulayhi misjudged a header from a long throw, and Mohammed Kanno pounced to volley home the equalizer past Marcelo Grohe.
More misfortune followed for the defender in the 31st minute. A cross from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic appeared routine for Grohe but was inadvertently turned into his own net by Al-Bulayhi.
Al-Shabab responded before the break. On the stroke of half-time, Carrasco released Hamed-allah into the same channel Brownhill had exploited, and the Moroccan forward turned past Kalidou Koulibaly before finishing to level the match.
The parallels continued. Both of Al-Shabab’s goals came from near-identical positions, while Al-Hilal’s third arrived in equally chaotic fashion. Another long throw caused havoc in first-half stoppage time, and Koulibaly redeemed his earlier error by forcing the ball home after a poor goal-line clearance from Al-Bulayhi.
From there, Al-Hilal took control. Winter signing Sultan Mandash made his mark three minutes into the second half, meeting Kanno’s cross with a superb first-time trivela finish to make it 4-2. Minutes later, he turned provider, setting up Marcos Leonardo for a composed fifth.
Still, Al-Shabab refused to fade. In the 75th minute, Yacine Adli’s driven cross evaded everyone and crept past Bounou to reduce the deficit to 5-3.
The visitors pushed for an unlikely comeback, but Al-Hilal held firm to secure victory, much to the relief of their supporters after dropping points in their previous two matches.
Elsewhere, Al-Ittihad continued their revival in a turbulent campaign with a 1-0 win over Al-Khaleej. Danilo Pereira scored the decisive goal, tapping in from a Mahamadou Doumbia corner.
In Qassim, Al-Ettifaq travelled to face Al-Hazem as favourites and took an early lead through Koka. However, Abdulbasit Hindi handled on the line in the 17th minute — echoing Luis Suarez’s infamous intervention against Ghana at the 2010 FIFA World Cup — and was sent off.
Yousef Al-Shammari converted the resulting penalty before Fabio Martins produced a stunning long-range header that could contend for the Puskas Award. Martins later assisted Aboubacar Bah for Al-Hazem’s third in a memorable victory.
Saudi Pro League action resumes on Saturday with four matches kicking off at 10pm: Al-Fayha host Al-Nassr, Al-Najma face Al-Okhdood, Al-Qadsiah take on Al-Taawoun, and NEOM meet Al-Kholood.
