Striker duel Morata (left) and Forsberg is announced
Despite a turbulent preparation and the failure of two captains, Spain starts on Monday (9 p.m. / live ORF 1) as the big favorite of Group E in the European Football Championship. The three-time European champion receives Sweden at the Estadio La Cartuja in Seville. Luis Enrique's team marched through the qualification without defeat and are aiming for the fourth European title after 1964, 2008 and 2012.
Enrique has drawn criticism from the capital with a squad without Real Madrid players. The last Real star to drop out of the squad was captain Sergio Ramos, who wasn't quite fit in time. Substitute captain Sergio Busquets is also missing after a positive corona test in the first game. Since the now negative Diego Llorente had also tested positive, a replacement squad with 17 professionals had been nominated, who were only sent home on Saturday.
“When something of this magnitude happens, it has an effect,” admitted Enrique. But the “Furia Roja” does not want to be slowed down by that. After the great era with the European Championship successes in 2008 and 2012 as well as the World Cup title in 2010, a whole new generation is at work at EURO 2020, which Enrique believes to have similar successes. “No doubt about it, we have the chance to achieve everything,” said the team boss, who received reinforcements shortly before the start of the tournament. The change of nationality of the French Aymeric Laporte went through in time, he will probably form the new center-back pair with Pau Torres. Midfielder Thiago Alcantara left no doubt about the goals. “We came to win, 100 percent,” said the Liverpool legionnaire.
After five victories in a row, Sweden has high hopes of making the ascent in the group with other opponents Poland and Slovakia for the first time since 2004. The Swedes have had a difficult time against Spain in the recent past. The Scandinavians came home from the last three games in Spain without a goal or a point, but Sweden recently achieved a respectable success. In the European Championship qualification, Spain only escaped defeat in the away game (1-1) with a goal in stoppage time.
“I hope we can do that again. We're not favorites, of course, but I hope we can annoy them,” said Emil Forsberg, one of the leading players after Zlatan Ibrahimovic left the European Championship. The 39-year-old superstar had decided to make a comeback, but has to pass due to an injury. “That was and is a very hard blow for us. But we have to deal with it. We have already done very well without him and will now try exactly that again,” explained Leipzig legionnaire Forsberg.
