Sports

Madrid, Nov 18.- On paper, Turkiye seems like a tough opponent in football, but Spain has already shown that when in top form, it is nearly invincible, and today it wants to reaffirm this belief in Seville.

In fact, the humiliation of La Roja against the Turks on their home ground was surprising and unexpected.

The scoreboard of 6-0, featuring a hat trick from Mikel Merino, two goals from Pedri, and one from Ferrán Torres, set Spain on the path to qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

The European qualifiers were just beginning, and it was an absolute display of authority. The outfit's status as continental monarchs and their triumph in the Nations League two years ago confirmed that Luis de la Fuente's team is destined for greater things.

Tonight at the La Cartuja Stadium in Seville, they will look to extend their winning streak. They are currently on a 30-match unbeaten run, surpassing the 29 consecutive matches achieved by the 2010 World Cup-winning team.

This reality has Spaniards dreaming. The previous streak is something that coach De la Fuente wants to capitalize on: the players' ambition remains intact, and they hope to extend their chain of successes against Turkiye.

It will be a routine match since Spain has already secured its place in the World Cup to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. However, defeating the Turks would reaffirm the excellent state of football in this Iberian nation. "We want to continue being number one in the world. Qualification is virtually secured, but we want to keep winning. The players never tire of winning," commented the coach at the press conference before tomorrow's match.

Turkiye would need a miracle, winning against Spain by at least a seven-goal margin, which is unimaginable. With the playoffs in their hands, they will risk little and are almost certain to try to avoid a rout.

"We approach the match with exceptional responsibility, for prestige, for the fans, because we want to keep winning and competing, aiming for our 31st unbeaten match," De la Fuente asserted.

The result against Georgia last Saturday was quite telling: 4-0. A significant achievement considering the absences of at least three regular starters: wingers Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, and creative midfielder Pedri González.

Also missing were midfielder Rodri Hernández and right-back Dani Carvajal, all key figures in last year's Euro Cup victory and the 2023 Nations League triumph.

Possible lineups for tonight:

Spain: Simón; Porro, Laporte, Cubarsí, Cucurella; Merino, Zubimendi, Ruiz; Torres, Oyarzabal, Baena

Turkiye: Cakir; Celic, Demiral, Bardakci, Kadioglu; Kokcu, Ozcan; Aydin, Güler, Yildiz; Akturkoglu