Spain coach Luis Enrique revealed his readiness for all possible scenarios against Morocco at the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar, including resorting to penalty kicks, stressing that he asked his players to undergo intensive training, not to leave any room for chance, and bypass the "Atlas Lions" on the way. Towards the dream of winning the title.

And "La Roja" will meet - tomorrow, Tuesday - the only representative of Arab football in the round of 16, on the grounds of the Education City Stadium, and the match will start at six in the evening, Mecca Al-Mukarramah time.

In the pre-match press conference, Enrique said - today, Monday - that "for more than one year, and in many national team camps, I have told the players, you have a duty before the World Cup, which is the necessity to implement at least a thousand penalty kicks with your clubs."

And the former coach of Barcelona devoted a large amount of time from the media meeting to talking about penalty kicks, and considered that they are "not always subject to luck."

He explained, "If you train a lot, the technique of taking penalty kicks will definitely improve. There is no training to deal with pressure and tension, but you can adapt to it."

And he expressed his confidence that the Spain national team may have to take penalty kicks in a match from the elimination rounds, in the event that the confrontation and the extra periods end in a draw, and said, "It is a moment of great tension, a moment to show your composure and that you can take the penalty kick in the way that decides if you had I've practiced it a thousand times."

In addition to the players, Enrique stressed that the goalkeepers also underwent extensive training in preparation for the penalty shootout, starting with the match against Morocco in the round of 16, and Enrique believes that the role of the goalkeeper does not depend - also - on luck.

It is noteworthy that in last year's European Championship, Spain fought penalties twice, beating Switzerland in the quarter-finals, before losing in the semi-finals to Italy, which was crowned later.

facing Morocco

On the other hand, Enrique did not hide his high confidence in the ability of his elements to win and earn the passage to the quarter-finals, but on the other hand, he acknowledged the strength of the Moroccan national team, and praised the level it presented in the first round.

The Spanish coach stated, "Morocco is in the best condition at the moment, and is playing with great motivation after competing in a strong group and leading the group. I feel completely satisfied with what I watched in training. I have confidence that we have a great opportunity to achieve a positive result and qualify."

Enrique said his team had performed well in the group stage, but admitted they struggled for 15 minutes against Japan and stressed the need for control and effectiveness in front of goal.

Because Spain will face "first-class" teams, as he put it.

For his part, Barcelona midfielder Pedri - who turned 20 during the tournament - is well aware of the Moroccan national team's playing style, and the Barcelona player said, "The opponent has a strong midfield and closes all spaces. Many teams play against us with a system of individual control, and we realize that the opponent will pressure us strongly." midfield to grab the ball.

He continued, "I am sure that the Moroccan national team analyzed our movements, and there is room for improvement, and I think we will play a great match, and we look forward to playing and turning sadness (because of Japan's loss) into happiness."

score and have fun

The style of the "La Roja" national team is characterized by short balls and fun as well, which is the way that has been associated with the Spaniards since the era of "tiki-taka", and the clear Barcelona touch on the team's combination, which is the style that Enrique does not hesitate to confirm his desire to preserve.

"I don't care much about the result," Enrique said. "I want to control what I can control, and I encourage the players not to think about the result, because it will come later."

He added, "Football is not always fair, and I have confidence that we have a greater chance than Morocco. If that were not the case, I would be fine too. Our philosophy is the same, and we try to entertain the fans so that our follow-up brings happiness to them. We do not just try to win; we try to win." We want to entertain viewers."

It is noteworthy that the Moroccan national team achieved a surprise by topping Group F at the expense of Croatia and Belgium, while Spain came in second place in Group E after losing to Japan, to become a date with the only remaining African team in the World Cup in Qatar.