Atlanta, June 21 (IANS) Spain coach Luis de la Fuente remains tight-lipped on star player Lamine Yamal’s playing time as Spain takes on Saudi Arabia in its second Group H game of the FIFA World Cup.

Spain suffered a surprise goalless draw against Cabo Verde in its opening match, with Yamal coming off the bench as a second-half substitute. De la Fuente confirmed in a press conference that Yamal is in good form and the player is eager to deliver a good performance.

“He is fine, it is the best news. We will observe his conditions, the best plan will be made before the match. We always prioritise players’ health. Lamine should bring positive impact if he takes the field. Our goal is to win as a team,” De la Fuente was quoted by Xinhua.

La Roja became the receiving end of criticism after the first match, but Luis de la Fuente noted it didn’t frustrate the team.

“Had we won it 2-0, the narrative surrounding it would be completely different. There is no anxiety within the squad. We absolutely need to win this game, and the players are fired up – criticism from the outside often fuels their motivation even more. We have analysed the match against Cape Verde from the spirit of improvement. We are going to maintain the idea and we’ll see if we change pieces later”.

The match against Saudi Arabia falls on De la Fuente’s 65th birthday. When asked what birthday gift he hoped for, the head coach replied with a joke: “I’d love a new jersey tomorrow. All jokes aside, my wish is simple: the whole team stays focused, we play a fantastic match, and we come away with the win.”

European champions Spain, who are seeking their first win, will be trying to get the better of Saudi Arabia, six days after failing to break down Cabo Verde.

“We have to win, but there’s no feeling of pressure or absence. They’re (players) really fired up,” the coach said.

–IANS

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