By Fernando Kallas
STUTTGART, Germany, July 4 (Reuters) – Spain manager Luis de la Fuente dismissed the impact a sold-out Stuttgart Arena filled by a majority of German fans could have in the outcome of their Euro 2024 quarter-final on Friday.
Ahead of the match against tournament hosts Germany, De la Fuente said that playing at home is not always an advantage as the weight of responsibility to not let a country down is often a burden.
“I think that at these levels, the so called home advantage is not really a factor and I don’t think it has too much influence,” De la Fuente told a press conference on Thursday.
“We have very experienced players, who are not going to be intimidated by a more or less hostile environment. It’s a normal football environment that we’re used to. I don’t think that has any influence at all.
“And I’m also not sure whether they are beneficial or not, sometimes that pressure goes against the home team, because the fans are very demanding and if things don’t start well, then the crowd can have a positive effect for us…. we’re going to play the game as we’ve been doing so far, with joy and confidence.”
Only three nations have won the Euros as hosts (Spain 1964, Italy 1968, France 1984) and three more have played a final on home soil, only to lose (Portugal 2004, France 2016 and England 2020).
History is also not on Germany’s side for Friday’s matchup, as they have not beaten Spain in a tournament game since 1988, a winless run which includes a 6-0 demolition in the 2020 Nations League.
Despite Spain’s imperious form in their four straight wins so far at Euro 2024 and their previous success against Germany, De la Fuente said it would be an evenly-matched clash.
The difference could be, according to the Spaniard, the individual talent of certain players, like Germany midfielder Toni Kroos. The 34-year-old could be playing the last game of a remarkable career as he plans to retire after the tournament.
“I will ask UEFA if I can tie his feet together for this game,” De la Fuente joked.
“Kroos is a super class player. It is incomprehensible that he is leaving football. It’s a shame that he will stop playing. We know what Kroos does and we will try to limit his passing, be very close and help him so that he doesn’t receive or at least doesn’t do it comfortably.
“That’s what we can do as they won’t let us tie his feet. It is a final before the final and I hope we advance.” (Reporting by Fernando Kallas Editing by Christian Radnedge)