Spain manager Luis de la Fuente says Lamine Yamal’s desire to keep improving is a sign of “the anxiety of genius” ahead of Tuesday’s Nations League meeting with Croatia.
Yamal, the Barcelona winger, has scored Spain’s opening goal in each of their three matches during the current international break. De la Fuente did not confirm whether the 17-year-old would start in Split, but said he was in excellent form and had played more minutes than any other member of the squad during the break.
“Yamal has the anxiety of genius, the anxiety of exceptional talent,” De la Fuente said at his pre-match news conference.
“Anxiety does not have a negative meaning here. He is always hungry for more because he wants to be the best.”
De la Fuente also highlighted the competitive attitude within his squad, who lead their group with nine points after winning their opening three matches.
“We have a team with extraordinary passion because none of our players ever tire of competing,” he added.
On Yamal’s involvement against Croatia, the Spain manager said: “All the players want to play, and then we assess how appropriate it is.
“Lamine is at the top of his game and is a natural competitor. We have always tried to select the best possible team for every match, and that is what we have done throughout this competition.”
Croatia currently sit third in the group with three points. Their previous match ended in a heavy 7-0 defeat by England, but De la Fuente played down the significance of that result and focused instead on the quality of the hosts.
“For me, they are a great team,” he said. “They have been one of the most important national teams in recent years. What happened in the last match was an isolated incident.”
De la Fuente expects an intense occasion when the two sides meet on Tuesday evening.
“We will find a passionate and emotional atmosphere, and that is what we like,” he said. “It will be a great match. I like to feel the passion of the supporters, whether they are backing us or opposing us.”
The Spain manager also discussed Dani Olmo, whose history in Croatia makes the fixture particularly significant for him. Olmo started against England and the Czech Republic but did not feature in Spain’s first match against Croatia.
“He understands perfectly how important this match is,” De la Fuente said. “We will assess the right time for Dani to play, but he is extremely motivated and very popular in Croatia.”
