De la Fuente hints Yamal could start against Croatia

De la Fuente has hinted that Lamine Yamal could start Spain’s match against Croatia on Tuesday in Split in the Nations League. The coach stopped short of confirming his place in the starting side, but stressed the importance of the fixture, which Spain hopes to use to move closer to the top of its group. He considers it decisive.

“Tomorrow’s match is very important, and we want to show our best version,” he said. On Yamal, De la Fuente emphasised the player’s constant desire to take part: “If you asked all the players, they would say they want to play. Lamine always wants to take part, he is going through a great period, and he is a reference player and a competitor by nature.”

Asked about Yamal’s concern over not scoring, the coach explained that anxiety can be part of an elite athlete’s mindset when it stems from the desire to give their best. He added: “He has the anxiety of a great athlete, the anxiety of a genius who always wants to give the maximum of himself. He is anxious, but not in the negative sense of the word, and he never tires of competing in his way.”

Managing playing time is also a consideration. De la Fuente said the rotation policy means no player should exceed 270 minutes across four matches. That framework helps explain the coach’s caution: he has raised the possibility without deciding whether Yamal will be in the starting line-up.

Spain must also contend with a Croatia that De la Fuente considers dangerous, despite its 0-7 defeat to England. “For me, Croatia are a great team, a very great team. They are one of the most important sides on the world stage over the last ten years. What happened in the last match was a passing accident, something that happens once in a lifetime. The result does not reflect the real difference in footballing level with England,” he said. He added that the defeat “could even give them more motivation, because it affects them very deeply”.

Against that backdrop, Yamal’s possible start remains an open decision on the eve of a match De la Fuente describes as a major test for Spain in the pursuit of top spot in the group.