Sam Marsden’s Switzerland v Spain preview: Confident Spain should be too good
Our Matchday Squad journalist will be covering Spain throughout Euro 2020
Goal-shy Spain have gone from scoring just once in their first two games to being the top scorers at Euro 2020 heading into the quarterfinals.
Luis Enrique’s side scored five against Slovakia to make it out of their group and added another five against Croatia in an exhilarating last 16 tie.
The goals are coming from everywhere, too, with five different players netting against Croatia. Perhaps the most important goal came from Alvaro Morata, who received death threats after misses earlier in the competition. The Juventus striker netted the all-important fourth goal as La Roja won 5-3 after extra time.
On the back of that win, coupled with quarter-final opponents Switzerland knocking out favourites France, the national mood has completely changed. Luis Enrique’s job was on the line before Spain’s win over Slovakia, but now the media are praising him for being brave enough to carry out a “much-needed” revolution of the squad.
In attack, everyone is in form, even Morata. Alongside him, Ferran Torres excelled with a goal and an assist against Croatia, while Pablo Sarabia’s now scored in back-to-back games. Dani Olmo and Mikel Oyarzabal both excelled off the bench as well.
That frontline is propelled by Pedri, the 18-year-old Barcelona midfielder whose fingerprints are all over most of Spain’s goals.
However, Switzerland will take encouragement from how Croatia clawed their way back from 3-1 to take Monday’s game into an additional 30 minutes. Spain’s defence is far from bulletproof, but with confidence flowing, they should be too good for Vladimir Petkovic’s side in Saint Petersburg.
