Cucurella: Spain Must Be 100% Focused After World Cup Scare vs Cape Verde
After being held scoreless by Cape Verde, Spain defender Marc Cucurella admitted the shock result was a wake-up call. Spain now braces for a defensive Saudi Arabia side that beat Argentina in 2022.
World Cup wake-up call, Spain prepares for Saudi test after goalless draw...
Spain’s surprise 0-0 draw with Cape Verde in their World Cup opener was a warning sign, defender Marc Cucurella said Thursday. The team is now prepping for what they expect to be another tough test against Saudi Arabia this weekend.
“Maybe with this scare we've put ourselves on alert,” Cucurella told reporters. “We realised that it's not easy to be here, that we have to be 100% focused in every match... because any team can beat you.”
“I think it's good that it happened to us in the first match,” he continued. "Because maybe it happens to you in another round and you go home.”
Spain weren’t alone in stumbling out of the gate. Portugal and Belgium also dropped points in their openers, both held to draws by teams ranked below them.
“It's becoming clear, not just for us, that no match has been easy,” Cucurella said. “All the teams that have come here, are here because they qualified, because they're talented.”
Held scoreless by Cape Verde, Cucurella said Spain expect more of the same on Sunday against Saudi Arabia. The Saudis opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw vs Uruguay.
“A very good team defensively that will try to take advantage of their counter-attacking options,” Cucurella said of Saudi Arabia, who at the 2022 World Cup pulled off a stunning 2-1 victory over eventual champions Argentina.
Cucurella said Spain were not expecting to replicate their unbeaten run from the 2024 European Championship at the World Cup, but the team are eager to bring their best version to the pitch on Sunday.
“We know what we've missed, we're working on it this week,” he said. “And hopefully we can play a great match and secure those three points.”
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