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Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondent
STUTTGART, Germany — Spain coach Luis de la Fuente mentioned his gamers are “insatiable” for extra success at Euro 2024 after creating historical past by knocking out hosts Germany on the Stuttgart Enviornment on Friday.
Mikel Merino scored a dramatic 119th-minute winner as Spain beat the hosts at a serious event for the primary time in 10 makes an attempt after Florian Wirtz had cancelled out Dani Olmo‘s opener in regular time.
Spain will meet France within the semifinal in Munich on Tuesday, and De la Fuente hopes their run will proceed to the ultimate in Berlin on July 14.
“We’re seeing historical past,” the coach mentioned in a information convention after the sport. “It’s the first time we now have had 5 wins in a row on the Euros or a World Cup.
“It is usually the primary time beating the hosts in one of many main tournaments. It is a second to place worth on what we now have achieved and luxuriate in this historic second.
“We’ll see how the story ends, however this group needs to go all the best way. These gamers have coronary heart. They’re insatiable; they do not tire of competing and dealing laborious. They’re formidable. It is an honour to have gamers with these values.”
Spain have beforehand struggled in opposition to hosts at main tournaments. They misplaced at World Cups to Russia in 2018 and South Korea in 2002, whereas they have been additionally painfully overwhelmed by France within the Euro 1984 closing.
Extra heartbreak seemed set to observe in Stuttgart when Wirtz levelled for Germany to take the sport into additional time after Olmo had turned dwelling Lamine Yamal‘s cross.
Merino’s late purpose received Spain over the road ultimately, however De la Fuente was nonetheless questioned about why he took off Yamal and Nico Williams, amongst others, after taking the lead, eradicating La Roja‘s working menace on the counter.
“It relies upon if it is good to run or not,” he responded. “We’ve got proven that with out working [so much], we received the sport. We would have liked to run much less and be extra scientific within the closing third. That was sufficient to win a very troublesome recreation.”
A frenzied affair ended with 16 bookings and one purple card — to Spain defender Dani Carvajal — whereas Germany additionally dedicated 22 fouls to Spain’s 17.
De la Fuente refused to criticise Germany’s strategy however was not proud of an early problem from Toni Kroos, who was enjoying his final recreation earlier than retiring from soccer, on Pedri, who’s more likely to miss the remainder of the event with a knee harm.
“No, as a result of that is soccer,” he mentioned when requested if Germany’s toughness stunned him. “I performed soccer within the Eighties, so this stuff do not scare me.
“I’ve a good friend that claims: ‘What would you like, for them to kiss you?’ There’s a referee to handle this stuff. We all know these video games are performed on the restrict.
“That apart, Pedri was on the top of a robust problem that would have been handled in one other manner on the pitch. It deserved a purple card.”
Merino, in the meantime, celebrated the profitable purpose, arrange by Olmo, by doing a loop across the nook flag, imitating the celebration his dad carried out when he scored on the identical stadium in a UEFA Cup recreation for Osasuna in opposition to Stuttgart in 1991.
“It might be the perfect purpose of my profession due to the significance of the sport, a quarterfinal on the Euros, within the final minute, to win it,” the Actual Sociedad midfielder instructed reporters.
“At first, I did not consider it as a result of I did not see the ball. There was an unimaginable silence. I did not know if one thing occurred or not, so it took me a number of seconds to understand it was a purpose.
“After which I celebrated it like loopy. All my teammates got here piling over and I realised it had gone in and we have been about to win. I’m so pleased as a result of this can be a household.
“There’s quite a lot of work behind this, particularly from my teammates, who have been doing an awesome job, and for Germany to equalise within the ninetieth minute was a setback, but it surely’s a reward for perseverance and I believe we deserve it.”
In addition to dropping Pedri to harm and Carvajal to suspension, Spain shall be with out centre-back Robin Le Normand within the semifinal after he obtained his second reserving of the finals.