Roberto Fernandez proud after bruising Spain debut in win over Czech Republic | OneFootball

Espanyol forward Roberto Fernandez said he was proud after a bruising senior debut as Spain beat the Czech Republic at the Carlos Tartiere.

Handed the start up front on his first cap, he led the line, made space for team-mates and twice went close in a hard-fought contest. Ladislav Krejci was sent off for a second yellow card in the 85th minute after struggling to contain the debutant.

“It's my debut, I was enjoying it. I'm a striker and I wanted to score, but I'm very happy. Now to keep working,” he told TVE. “I have not been able to score but I have dragged central defenders so that others could do it.”

He acknowledged the knocks and said finishing the full 90 minutes felt like a luxury he wants to build on. “I took a lot of flak, but I finished strong. I played the whole game, so it was great. Onwards and upwards,” the forward said.

The debut carried extra meaning given his relationship with the Czechia head coach Santi Denia from the Under-21s. “When they called me up, I saw the games and I knew that Santi was in the Czech Republic,” he added.

By earning his first cap, he became the 49th Espanyol player to represent Spain while at the club, following Joselu in 2023. His focus now is to keep his place as competition for attacking roles remains fierce.

Source: Goal.com

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