Spain in shock after 911 drama

After the surprising knockout round of the World Cup in Qatar, the whole of Spain is in shock, and the historic 0-3 embarrassment in the penalty shoot-out against the surprise team Morocco is still having an impact for a long time. “A fiasco for a mediocre Spain,” was the headline in the newspaper “Marca” after Luis Enrique’s team had run into the Moroccan defense for 120 minutes in vain.

As in the 2018 World Cup (against Russia) and the EM 2021 (against Italy), the Spaniards returned home after a penalty shootout. This time even without a goal of their own, Pablo Sarabia, Carlos Soler and also captain Sergio Busquets all missed their attempts on Tuesday. And that despite the fact that Enrique had duly prepared his Seleccion for the penalty scenario in advance. “More than a year ago I told the players that they have to take at least 1,000 penalties at their clubs. You can’t train them with the national team,” said the coach before the game.

He doesn’t think penalty shootouts are a “lottery,” stressed Enrique. However, his players threw away their nerves. Also Sarabia, who had previously converted all 15 attempts in his career and was substituted just before the end for the showdown. While all Moroccans scored ice-cold, Achraf Hakimi with the decisive penalty even in Panenka style, Sarabia failed on the rod and Soler and Busquets on Morocco’s new national hero Yassine Bounou.

Enrique had nothing to blame after the bitter knockout round. “I would pick all the shooters the same way again. The only one I would change would be Bounou, the opponent’s goalie,” he said. The 52-year-old was also not unhappy with the playful performance of his young squad. He was “more than satisfied”, emphasized Enrique, “they represented my ideas and my style.” La Roja played exactly 1,050 passes, the fatal one was not among them. “Of course we should have been more efficient in the last few meters,” the coach acknowledged.

The same with the penalties, for the fourth time the Spaniards lost at a World Cup in the ultimate battle of nerves. It had never happened to any team before, not even England, who usually ‘enjoy’ the reputation of being the greatest enemy of penalty kicks. However, the “Three Lions” have only lost three times from the point at the World Championships, and four times in a row at the European Championships. The Spaniards also became only the second team after Switzerland’s 2006 defeat of Ukraine at a World Cup to give away all attempts in a penalty shoot-out.

How things will continue with Luis Enrique was initially unclear. “This is not the right time to talk about my future,” said the coach immediately after the final whistle. His contract expires after the World Cup, but he is “very happy” with the national team.

Source: Nachrichten