Luis de la Fuente He already has all five senses in the semi-final match of the Eurocup in view of FranceThe Spanish coach spoke to El Partidazo de Cope to analyse the match against the French team and to reaffirm his decisions regarding the quarter-final match against Germany.
The changes against Germany: “I would have made the same changes and in the same minute. We didn’t want to wear out Lamine and Nico, we needed players who would work harder on the wing. The players who came off the bench were the real protagonists of the game. Lamine didn’t leave upset. He has the physique to endure a match and extra time, but you have to pace yourself physically and emotionally. If he had to play 120 minutes against France, he could handle it.”
Mbapp playing with a handicap: “People need to know that Mbapp’s mask is quite limiting. We had a similar case with Le Normand and he wasn’t breathing normally, he was very tired and had muscle problems. We haven’t seen the best version of Mbapp yet. He’s certainly limited by what happened in the first game, but he has enormous potential.”
Without Carvajal to defend Mbapp: “It’s not that I trust Jess Navas, it’s that he’s the best. He’s got a long way to go, he’s a great player with guarantees. I don’t know if he’ll play or not, but he’s very prepared if he has to.”
The plan for semis and what to improve: “I’m not trying to invent anything against France. I usually like each player to play in the position in which he is most comfortable. The game against Germany was fantastic, but we have to press better, control our attacking ability better, take better advantage of our attacks, and be more effective.”
His feelings: “Every day I feel more relaxed because I see that we are meeting expectations. Today we are where we would have wanted to be before the championship began. I am happy and satisfied because things are going as we had planned.”
Their routines: “I’m a very funny person. After the match against Germany, all the team members had a drink and even did karaoke. I sang Julio Iglesias songs. I fell asleep on the bus on the way to the stadium.”
