Spain vs. Slovakia, Euro 2016 Qualifier: Team News, Preview, Stream, TV Info
It was one of the darker days of a recent football history that has been full of much lighter ones, but Spain will have the chance to put last October’s 2-1 defeat to Slovakia right when they meet the Group C leaders and holders of a 100 per cent record in Oviedo on Saturday.
Miroslav Stoch’s 87th minute winner back then ended Spain’s staggering 36-match unbeaten run in qualification matches, which stretched all way back to October 2006, and it also blew open a group the reigning European champions had been expected to walk through.
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Unbeaten in 30 home qualifiers, the Spanish will sense this is the perfect chance for revenge as they take on a Slovakia side missing five players through suspension—including the inspirational figure of Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel.
The only side to have won all their games in qualifying so far beside England, it would take a stunning performance for the Slovakians to keep that record alive.
Date: Saturday, September 5, 2015
Time: 7:45 p.m. BST / 2:45 p.m. EDT
Venue: Estadio Nuevo Carlos Tartiere, Oviedo
TV Info: Sky Sports 5
Live Stream: Sky Sports
Euro 2016 Qualifying Results
Spain
Won 5-1 vs. Macedonia (Home)
Lost 2-1 vs. Slovakia (Away)
Won 4-0 vs. Luxembourg (Away)
Won 3-0 vs. Belarus (Home)
Won 1-0 vs. Ukraine (Home)
Won 1-0 vs. Belarus (Away)
Slovakia
Won 1-0 vs. Ukraine (Away)
Won 2-1 vs. Spain (Home)
Won 3-1 vs. Belarus (Away)
Won 2-0 vs. Macedonia (Away)
Won 3-0 vs. Luxembourg (Home)
Won 2-1 vs. Macedonia (Home)
Team News
Spain
The big news in the Spain squad was the late inclusion of 20-year-old Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin for the first time, with the youngster getting the call-up thanks to his fine form at the tail end of the last Premier League season and the beginning of this one.
Diego Costa and Juan Mata both return after missing June’s matches, but in-form Athletic Bilbao forward Aritz Aduriz was not named despite plenty of calls in Spain for him to be so, reported by Football Espana, while Alvaro Morata is injured.
David De Gea is one of three goalkeepers in the squad, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll be in the right condition to play having failed to feature for Manchester United this season while his on-off transfer to Real Madrid was in the pipeline.
Possible XI: Casillas, Juanfran, Pique, Ramos, Alba, Busquets, Iniesta, Koke, Silva, Pedro, Costa.
Slovakia
As mentioned above, captain Skrtel joins Michal Siplak, Andrej Kadlec, Juraj Kucka and Adam Zrelak in being suspended, with coach Jan Kozak left looking for comparable alternatives and Slovakia knowing an unlikely win here, coupled with a victory over Ukraine on September 8, would book their place in France.
In Skrtel’s absence, the team is likely to be led by Napoli skipper Marek Hamsik, his nation’s top scorer in qualifying, and it is how he links up with new Willem II signing Adam Nemec that could prove crucial to the nation’s chances of keeping its 100 per cent record alive.
Possible XI: Kozacik, Pekarik, Hubocan, Salata, Svento, Gyomber, Pecovsky, Hamsik, Weiss, Stoch, Nemec.
Key Players
Spain: David Silva
Having started the Premier League season in majestic form for Manchester City, David Silva returns to the international stage having grabbed Spain’s winner in their last qualifier—the 1-0 win in Belarus in June.
A player who profits from the movement of those around him, Silva will hope to link up with the likes of Pedro Rodriguez and Diego Costa as they look to do damage to what will be a reshuffled Slovakian back line. It wouldn’t be too much of a surprise if they succeeded with their efforts.
Slovakia: Marek Hamsik
Always an important player for his country, midfielder Marek Hamsik takes on an even greater influence here as his team will be without their leader, Skrtel. The vice-captain will need to be alert in midfield as the hosts look to play passes around him.
Hamsik’s experience at the highest level will be crucial to his team-mates and vital if they are to have any hope of getting a good result here—something that would be even more impressive than the highs they’ve experienced so far.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Spain: 3/10
Slovakia: 12/1
Draw: 19/4
