Di Spain national team dey prepare for dia second World Cup match against Saudi Arabia, and three players come face di press for Kennesaw State University, just outside Atlanta. Aymeric Laporte, Martin Zubimendi, and Borja Iglesias talk about di team mindset after di disappointing draw with Cape Verde.
“We dey vex about dat first match, but we also get many games wey we no lose, so dat give us ambition,” Zubimendi yarn. “We go look for victory, na wetin we always do.”
Di players talk about di need for “finura and fluidez”—finesse and fluidity—to break down Saudi Arabia. Laporte say di team don try to find di keys after di first game wey no shine. “Na acierto and finura we need. If we score, di game for don change,” he add.
Dem also gist about Lamine Yamal, di young star wey call himself di best for di world. Laporte laugh: “Ask am. I try to be di best for my position. From di start we get along well, but now we play Fortnite together more and dat bring us closer. We get very good relationship.”
On Rodri, who face some criticism after di Cape Verde game, Zubimendi defend am: “Wetin I go say? He don show im value. No be im fault. He get better games, but you no fit blame am for anything.”
Borja Iglesias, wey dey compared to Fernando Llorente from 2010, say he dey happy to be part of di squad. “I wish I fit get important role like Fernando. To be compared to am na honor.”
Di team dey focus on di next game, wey go hold for Atlanta Stadium. “We need to win and later we go do di maths,” Zubimendi add. “Di group dey magnificent, we get very good relationship.”
Di players also talk about di heat and di experience of playing Saudi Arabia. Laporte, wey know some of dia players from club football, say dem get good footballers wey no dey well known for Europe.
On di debate about Spain midfield slowing down play, Zubimendi disagree: “I no dey too follow, but I dey surprise. Spain midfield no dey slow down play. Na key for dis team.”
Di press conference end with Laporte laughing about accreditation issues wey delay am. “Lamine laugh at me when I enter,” he say. “But I take am normal.”
Di team dey ready to bounce back and go all out for victory against Saudi Arabia.
