After remaining unbeaten in 10 European Championship matches going back to 2004, Spain’s defeat to Croatia on Tuesday exposed some issues facing the side.
Goalkeeper David De Gea struggled and Sergio Ramos missed a penalty in that 2-1 loss, with critics back home questioning some of coach Vicente del Bosque’s moves.
Despite the goalkeeper’s struggles both on and off the field, it’s not likely that Del Bosque will turn back to long-standing captain Iker Casillas, currently acting as the team’s backup keeper.
Spain have also missed three of their four past penalties, including Ramos’s miss the other day.
Initially the ball was in Cesc Fabregas’s hands, however, Ramos insisted on taking the penalty with Andres Iniesta also wanting to take the spot kick.
“I was ready to take the shot however Sergio felt secure in taking it himself,” Iniesta said after the defeat.
Under Del Bosque, out of eight penalties taken only two have been scored, both by Xabi Alonso who was excluded from the squad.
The coach alienated himself from the situation, explaining that it’s up to the players to decide who takes the penalties.
Forward Pedro remains unhappy with the little playing time he has received, and despite Del Bosque trying to play down the situation the Chelsea man feels otherwise.
“Here in the national team I haven’t come to feel a part of the group,” Pedro said.
When told Del Bosque said he apologised for his comments, Pedro replied: “I didn’t apologise for anything.”
Even the anthem has been a source of controversy as television images supposedly showed Gerard Pique, a Catalan, giving the middle finger during Spain’s national anthem.
Pique denied any wrongdoing, saying that he was only cracking his knuckles, which can be seen in the video replay.
Adapted from an article in La Gazzetta dello Sport by Filippo Maria Ricci
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