Spain vs Georgia – Match preview and team news | OneFootball

Spain and Georgia meet this evening at the Estadio Martínez Valero in Elche for a crucial World Cup qualifier.

For La Roja, a victory would be a significant step closer to automatic qualification for the 2026 tournament. Currently, Luis de la Fuente’s side sits comfortably at the top of Group E with six points from two matches, having demolished both Turkey 6-0 and Bulgaria 3-0 in September. Georgia, meanwhile, occupy second place with three points. They secured a 3-0 victory over Bulgaria after losing a narrow 3-2 contest to Turkey.

Spain vs Georgia – Match Preview and Team News

Team News

Spain

Spain face several notable absences for this crucial qualifier. Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has withdrawn from the squad due to a pubic area injury, with his recovery expected to take 2-3 weeks. Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen has also pulled out after arriving at camp with muscle fatigue, with Athletic Bilbao’s Aymeric Laporte called up as his replacement.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri remains unavailable due to injury, while PSG midfielder Fabián Ruiz was not selected for the squad due to recent discomfort. The Spanish Federation has confirmed that these withdrawals are precautionary measures to ensure the full recovery of the players.

Luis de la Fuente has named a strong 26-man squad featuring experienced campaigners alongside emerging talents, with Unai Simón continuing as first-choice goalkeeper.

Georgia

Georgia’s preparation has been dominated by uncertainty surrounding their star player, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The PSG winger sustained a thigh injury during the Ligue 1 match against Auxerre and missed the Champions League clash with Barcelona. Initially expected to miss the fixture, recent reports suggest Kvaratskhelia has recovered well and is expected to start against Spain.

Coach Willy Sagnol had initially included the Georgian talisman despite PSG’s objections, with the French club attempting to prevent his release due to injury concerns. However, Georgian media reports indicate Kvaratskhelia “feels good physically” and will likely feature from the first whistle.

The presence of Kvaratskhelia will be crucial for Georgia’s hopes, as the 24-year-old provides their primary creative spark and goal threat.

Form

Spain

De la Fuente’s side has been in exceptional form throughout 2025, remaining unbeaten in normal time across all fixtures. Their only setback came via a penalty shootout defeat to Portugal in the Nations League final after a 2-2 draw. In World Cup qualifying, Spain has been ruthless, scoring nine goals across two matches without conceding a single goal. Their 6-0 demolition of Turkey showcased their attacking prowess, with Mikel Merino netting a hat-trick.

Spain’s dominance extends beyond recent results, with just seven defeats in 72 games since 2020, demonstrating remarkable consistency under De la Fuente’s guidance.

Georgia

Georgia bounced back impressively from their opening qualifier defeat to Turkey with a commanding 3-0 victory over Bulgaria, featuring goals from Kvaratskhelia, Nika Gagnidze, and Georges Mikautadze. They have won four of their last six matches, scoring 16 goals in the process.

Willy Sagnol’s side demonstrated their potential during Euro 2024, reaching the knockout stages in their first major tournament and earning widespread praise for their attacking approach.

Predicted Lineups

Spain predicted XI: Simon; Porro, Le Normand, Cubarsi, Cucurella; Pedri, Merino, Zubimendi; Olmo, Oyarzabal, F Torres

Georgia predicted XI: Mamardashvili; Kakabadze, Kashia, Goglichidze, Azarovi; Gagnidze, Kochorashvili, Mekvabishvili; Davitashvili, Mikautadze, Kvaratskhelia

How to Watch Spain vs Georgia?

The Spain vs Georgia match in the UK will be shown live on Amazon Prime Video via a pay-per-view system.

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