Spain manager Luis de la Fuente defends tactical shift against Germany – ‘I’d do the same again’ | OneFootball

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente says he has no regrets over his changes during the latter stages of their win over Germany in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals. He was criticised for being too conservative in the latter stages of the game, with the hosts grabbing a late equaliser after a period of prolonged pressure.

La Roja will take on France in another test for a young side against a vastly experienced Didier Deschamps outfit. Spain have unanimously been crowned as the side playing the best football so far, but De la Fuente told Cadena Cope that they had plenty to work on for the semi-finals.

“We have to improve in everything, you can always do so. We have to press better, we have to free ourselves more and we have to ensure we are more aware and vigilant defensively because with our way of playing, we expose ourselves a lot. And in the offensive phase we must be more effective, take advantage of the opportunities we have and not lose balls to favour the rivals’ counterattack.”

In the final half hour, de la Fuente brought off Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams for Ferran Torres and Mikel Merino, favouring a more defensive approach. While the latter scored the winner, de la Fuente was criticised in Spain for allowing Germany to come onto them with a more conservative approach.

“Yes. We tend to become fond of some players and sometimes it seems that it is an aberration to replace them. We, with the changes, seek to go beyond the immediate. Knowing Germany, what we sought was more freshness, with players who worked more defensively. We didn’t want to wear down Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal and have no chance of winning. Furthermore, we were winning and then the players who came out had a lot of influence on the final result.”

De la Fuente is also in his first major tournament as senior manager, although he has plenty of experience of tournaments as under-19 and under-21 coach. His mettle will be tested against the most experienced international manager in the competition in Deschamps, who has received no shortage of criticism, but also has his side in a third semi-final out of their last four major tournaments.