Luis Enrique's incredulity: "I don't remember something like that in my time as coach"

• Chronicle Spain gets stuck and is forced to a feat in Portugal

• The Lawnmower Why doesn't Lucho go away?, by Julián Ruiz

"I don't remember so many vague players during my time as coach."

Luis Enrique reflected on the ill-advised first act against Switzerland.

The prelude to his seventh stumble in 38 games with Spain.

"This defeat does not raise any doubts in me," however, the Asturian coach maintained, less than two months before the World Cup debut against Costa Rica (November 23).

Now the ticket for the second consecutive Final Four of the League of Nations is to win in Portugal.

For winning that final.

A couple of hours earlier, while Spain was trying to match the pace and energy of Switzerland, in addition to the score, La Romareda started shouting a name.

That of an old acquaintance who, five years ago, drew a handful of smiles from them.

It was about Borja Iglesias, the guy who scored 23 goals in 43 games for Zaragoza and who put the fans at his feet tomorrow.

Also, logically, because Luis Enrique's bet, with

,

and

, hardly bothered

.

Asensio, by the way, played more minutes last night (63) than he has added so far this season with Real Madrid (47).

Because Spain found themselves 20 minutes down on the scoreboard.

The aerial game of the Swiss, and the power of striker Embolo, kept Luis Enrique sitting on the bench.

The head of

, the center-back that Pep

recruited this summer for his Manchester City, after paying 17.5 million to Borussia Dortmund, brought out the colors behind the Spanish for the first time.

As soon as the second half started, when the rain was already soaking the grass of La Romareda, the public exploded when they saw that Borja Iglesias jumped to warm up in the company of

and

, who would end up injured.

Luis Enrique was going to make a move and the idol, born in Santiago de Compostela, seemed to be one of the solutions, to the local delirium.

By then, the coach was agitated as usual by his technical area.

two premieres

And at the foot of the pitch he angrily celebrated

's goal , the tenth in 86 international games, after a colossal start from Asensio, who does not want to lose sight of the Qatar World Cup, despite its scant impact on his club.

"I always like Marco", the coach would later praise him.

And with his hands in his pockets, with a serious face, Luis Enrique conceded a new blush from a set piece, this time from

, who put Switzerland ahead again.

Two slaps in two set pieces.

A warning before the imminent World Cup.

The 63rd minute arrived and La Romareda caught fire.

After

, the long-awaited

finally burst in, making his debut, just like Nico, already at 29 years old.

Neither could prevent Switzerland's first victory on Spanish soil.

"The coach told me that he should be the same as when I play for Athletic", admitted Nico.

"We depend on ourselves and we have to show that we are capable of playing matches at this level," Borja maintained, regarding that final in Braga on Tuesday.

"I like the faith that the team has had. We will go to Portugal to play a final. We have to improve and we have the time we have", sentenced the national coach.

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