Spain boss Luis de la Fuente faced the press on Sunday ahead of La Roja’s opening World Cup game against Cape Verde on Monday.
The coach was asked first of all about reports that Marc Cucurella is about to sign for Real Madrid. De la Fuente effectively confirmed the transfer and says he doesn’t think it will be a distraction for the defender.
“It won’t throw him off at all. I know them very well, and they’re very professional,” he told reporters.
“We already saw that at the European Championship. It
doesn’t cause any problems or uncomfortable situations. We’re happy that it’s good news for Cucurella. If he’s happy, I’m happy too.”
The fitness of Lamine Yamal was also on the agenda, with De la Fuente saying the teenager is in great shape but won’t start the game.
“I’ll decide. The best news is that he’s in perfect condition,” he said. “He arrived at the exact moment we wanted him to, just like the others who had some issues, such as Nico and Víctor.
“They won’t be in the starting lineup, but we’ll see how the match unfolds to assess their contribution to the team.”
Spain and Cape Verde kick off at 12pm ET, while the other game in the group sees Uruguay face Saudi Arabia.
