In a display of depth and resilience, Spain made ten changes to their lineup and still secured a victory, thanks to Ferran Torres’ first-half goal. This win ensures La Roja top Group B, while Albania, finishing at the bottom, are eliminated from the tournament.
The result also guarantees England a place in the last 16, providing relief for Gareth Southgate’s side amidst a challenging group stage. Despite the significant squad rotation, Spain’s cohesive performance highlighted their strength and versatility, solidifying their status as strong contenders in the competition.
Report
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente made a bold move by making ten changes to the side that narrowly defeated Croatia 1-0, with only Aymeric Laporte retaining his place. Despite the significant rotation, Spain secured a 1-0 victory over a spirited Albania, ensuring they top Group B and guaranteeing England a place in the last 16. Meanwhile, Albania’s elimination was confirmed as they finished bottom of the group.
Albania, under coach Sylvinho, came out with high energy and aggressive pressing, knowing they needed a win to have any hope of advancing. Their early pressure tested Spain’s experimental lineup, but the Spanish squad, filled with top-tier talent, soon began to assert their dominance.
The breakthrough came in the 13th minute when Dani Olmo threaded a delightful through ball to Ferran Torres, who calmly slotted his shot in off the far post. This goal allowed Spain to settle into their preferred possession-based style, mixing direct wide play and intricate passing. Thomas Strakosha, Albania’s goalkeeper, made several crucial saves, including a stop on a Mikel Merino header, to keep the scoreline tight.
Albania had their moments too, with Kristjan Asllani forcing a sprawling save from David Raya with a powerful long-range shot just before half-time. After the interval, Spain nearly doubled their lead through an audacious Joselu volley from Alejandro Grimaldo’s cross, which went narrowly wide.
Albania, buoyed by their passionate fans, continued to push forward. Armando Broja, coming off the bench, tested Raya with a sharp volley, highlighting Albania’s persistence and desire to leave a mark on the game. Despite their efforts, Spain maintained enough control of the ball to manage the game and secure the victory.
In the dying moments, Broja once again tested Raya, but the Spanish goalkeeper was up to the task. Spain’s composed performance, even with a significantly rotated squad, showcased their depth and quality, leaving them poised for a deeper run in the tournament. For Albania, it was a brave and hopeful end to their campaign, though ultimately unsuccessful.
Spain’s victory not only cemented their top spot in Group B but also underscored their status as one of the favorites in Euro 2024.
Analysis
While England’s Gareth Southgate looks set to stick with a similar lineup for their third and final group game at Euro 2024, still searching for a positive performance to build confidence for the knockout stages, Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente took a different approach. With top spot in Group B already secured after two wins, de la Fuente was able to rotate his squad significantly.
This rotation did not disrupt Spain’s rhythm. Instead, it provided an opportunity for other players to shine in their 1-0 victory over Albania. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal, but Dani Olmo’s performance was also noteworthy, with his creativity and vision leading to the assist. The full-backs, Jesús Navas and Alex Grimaldo, were consistent attacking threats, adding width and dynamism to Spain’s play. Mikel Merino showcased his quality in midfield, orchestrating the game with precision. Goalkeeper David Raya made several crucial saves, demonstrating his reliability and earning valuable experience.
Although many of these players are likely to return to the bench for Spain’s round of 16 match, they will do so with increased confidence and readiness to impact the game if needed. This taste of tournament action will be invaluable, providing depth and options for de la Fuente as Spain advances.
This ability to rotate and still secure a win underscores Spain’s strength and depth, setting them up as strong contenders in the knockout stages. The fresh legs and boosted morale of these rotated players might just make the difference in Spain’s pursuit of the Euro 2024 title.
Player of the Match: Ferran Torres (Spain)
Ferran Torres, the former Manchester City forward, was in exceptional form as he netted his 20th international goal in just his 44th appearance for Spain. However, his performance was about much more than scoring. His dynamic and relentless attacking display made him a constant thorn in the side of the Albanian defense.
At 24 years old, Torres showcased his ability to exploit pockets of space and peel off his markers to create shooting opportunities, highlighting his tactical intelligence and technical prowess. With potentially a decade left at the top level, his performance against Albania is a promising indicator of his future contributions to the Spanish national team.
PLAYER RATINGS
Albania: Strakosha 6; Balliu 7, Ajeti 7, Djimsiti 7, Mitaj 7; Asani 6, Ramadani 6, Laci 6, Asllani 7, Bajrami 6; Manaj 6. Subs: Broja 7, Berisha 6, Hoxha 6, Muci n/a
Spain: Raya 8; Navas 7, Vivian 7, Laporte 6, Grimaldo 6; Torres 8, Zubimendi 6, Olmo 7, Merino 7, Oyarzabal 6; Joselu 6. Subs: Le Normand 6, Lopes 6, Yamal 7, Morata 6, Baena n/a
Reaction
Luis de la Fuente, Spain Coach: “We are the first to dream, but we have to keep our feet on the ground. Every game is really tight and what we’ve done is really difficult – winning all three games and keeping three clean sheets. We have to have cool heads. The best 16 teams in Europe will be in the next round, so I give no importance to us being favorites. One day you can be at the top, the next you can be nothing.”
Ferran Torres, Vivo Player of the Match: “We have a route ahead of us and we’re playing phenomenally. We’re a family, very tightly knit. The thing about this team is that everyone is ready to be in the first XI. Players coming off the bench are very important as well because lots of goals have been scored at the end of games. I want to make [selection decisions] difficult for the coach.”
Dani Vivian, Spain Defender: “This is a win which really pleases us. We’ve completed the ‘perfect’ group stage – three wins and no goals conceded. In the first half, we were really good. Maybe we were a touch short of our best tempo. It felt like a matter of time before we scored again. But, in the second half, we maybe let them create a couple of chances we’d rather have avoided.”
Sylvinho, Albania Coach: “I’m proud of my players and for my country. It’s only our second time in this competition. We managed to compete against three great national teams. I lost many hours of sleep thinking about this tournament, but we competed at a high level and the country will be proud. We need to get used to playing in tournaments like this.”
Berat Djimsiti, Albania Captain: “It was not an easy game. Spain put a lot of pressure on us; they played good football and had more chances than us in the first half. During the second half, we played better and had chances, so I would say that we deserved at least a draw in this game.”
Key stats
- Spain have won all three matches in a EURO group for just the second time, having previously achieved the feat in 2008 – when they went on to lift the trophy.
- For the very first time, Spain have finished the group stage at a EURO without conceding a single goal.
- Spain have won ten and drawn one of their last 11 competitive matches.
- La Roja have lost only one of their last 15 EURO group stage matches (W11 D3).
- Ferran Torres has now struck five goals for Spain at major tournaments (two at EURO 2020, two at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and one at EURO 2024).
- Dani Olmo has recorded four assists across his seven EURO final tournament games, trailing only Cesc Fàbregas (five) for Spain since 1968.
- Albania have won just one of their six EURO matches (D1 L4).
- Albania have kept one clean sheet in their six EURO fixtures.