Chapter 430: Spain's Hidden Worries, Ambitious France

Chapter 430: Spain's Hidden Worries, Ambitious France

De Gea's teammates couldn't do much about his situation. Ramos had hoped to add another Spaniard to strengthen the local contingent at Real Madrid, but now things have taken a turn for the worse. With Casillas gone and De Gea unable to join, the Spanish presence at Real Madrid was further weakened.

Casillas' departure made Ramos feel uneasy as well. If Real Madrid wouldn't let Casillas retire at the club, would they keep him when he could no longer play? The answer was likely no.

...

Once everyone had gathered, Spain began their training camp. As usual, a large crowd of fans gathered outside the national team's training base. There's no easier way to see a bunch of stars in one place than at the national team's training ground. With a bit of luck, one might even get an autograph or a photo with their favorite players.

Perhaps due to the transfer saga, De Gea's performance in training was terrible. Considering his poor state, Del Bosque decided not to start him against Slovakia, opting instead for the experienced Casillas.

Since joining Porto, Casillas had played three full matches, securing two clean sheets. For him, joining Porto was a good move. Playing in the Portuguese league meant less pressure. Porto dominated domestically, and the Champions League wasn't as competitive. A good run might see them through the group stage, or they could aim for the Europa League if they fell short.

Geographically, Portugal was close to Spain, making travel convenient, much like playing in Spain itself. These factors made Porto an attractive option for Casillas. However, there were downsides too. Portuguese teams, even wealthy ones like Porto, couldn't match Real Madrid's wages. Casillas took a pay cut from €6.5 million to €5 million annually by moving to Porto. If he had joined another top club, his wages would likely be higher. Despite this, his current form suggested he could continue as Spain's first-choice goalkeeper for another two years.

As for lasting until the 2018 World Cup, that was uncertain. Casillas would be 37 by then, and Lin Quan remembered that Casillas had heart problems, leading to his early retirement. Lin Quan thought it necessary to remind Casillas to get a comprehensive medical checkup to possibly avoid an untimely end to his career.

...

On September 6, Spain faced Slovakia at the Nuevo Carlos Tartiere Stadium in Oviedo. The match was crucial for determining the group leader and Spain's potential early qualification. Playing at home, Spain fielded their strongest lineup, as did Slovakia. Both teams were eager for a win.

In their previous encounter in October, Slovakia had beaten Spain 2-1 at home, breaking Spain's unbeaten streak. For Spain, this match was also about revenge.

From the start, Spain launched a fierce attack on Slovakia. David Silva, Iniesta, and Lin Quan frequently combined beautifully, causing chaos in Slovakia's defense. Diego Costa, in top form, was a constant threat in the penalty area, using all sorts of tricks to frustrate the defenders.

The Slovakian players were infuriated by Costa's antics, thinking, "Aren't you the World Cup champions? Why resort to such dirty tactics?"

But Costa didn't care. As long as the referee didn't intervene, he would continue. If his actions provoked an overreaction from the defenders, even better.

In the fifth minute of the first half, Lin Quan advanced with the ball while David Silva cut inside, dragging the left-back with him. A red blur raced down the wing. Without looking back, Lin Quan delivered a perfectly timed chip to the right side of the Slovakian penalty area, where there was plenty of space.

Both teams' players initially thought Lin Quan had misjudged the pass. However, when the red blur met the ball perfectly, they realized it was a brilliant assist. The red blur was none other than Spain's left-back, Jordi Alba.

Seeing the ball coming his way, Alba instinctively headed it. The ball, moving fast due to Lin Quan's pass and Alba's run, rocketed into the Slovakian goal. The goalkeeper had no time to react and could only watch as the ball hit the back of the net.

Spain had a dream start, leading 1-0. Alba, ecstatic, sprinted around the pitch, feeling the rush of scoring. No wonder Ramos always pushed forward into the box!

The home crowd erupted in cheers. Despite having seen Spain score many times before, fans were still thrilled to see their team find the net. The passion for football never fades, always ready to spark joy and excitement among the spectators.

Spain continued to press, with Lin Quan orchestrating the play and keeping the Slovakian defense on their toes. Every touch, pass, and run drew applause and cheers from the home supporters, who were eager to see their team secure victory and edge closer to qualification.

The quick lead indicated that the match would go smoothly for Spain. As expected, after Spain's initial goal, both teams' mentalities were significantly affected. Spain's players became even more composed, while Slovakia's players started to panic. Whenever Slovakia tried to launch a counterattack, they couldn't get past Spain's midfield. Every time they reached the halfway line, they lost possession. And once Spain regained the ball, they launched rapid counterattacks.

Diego Costa shone during these counterattacks. In the 33rd minute of the first half, he received a through pass from Lin Quan, broke through the defense, and scored again, making it 2-0. At this point, the match was essentially over. No team could defeat Spain when they had a two-goal lead.

Slovakia's players didn't give up easily and tried to fight back, but they were heavily beaten. Seeing that Slovakia was still resisting and not surrendering, Del Bosque postponed his substitution plans until the 65th minute. Those extra 20 minutes were disastrous for Slovakia.

Just after the second half began, Lin Quan scored a free kick, making it 3-0. Five minutes later, David Silva made a cross to Lin Quan, who scored again, completing his brace. Although Lin Quan had provided two assists in the first half, he hadn't scored yet, which felt unusual for the fans who had come to watch. Some fans even started chanting for Lin Quan to score. Lin Quan delivered, scoring twice and completely satisfying the fans.

In the 63rd minute, Lin Quan, despite having a chance to score, passed the ball to David Silva, who scored into an empty net, making it 5-0. Slovakia was utterly defeated and stopped resisting. Being five goals behind meant no chance of a comeback.

Seeing the continuous goals in the second half, Del Bosque was delighted. He substituted Lin Quan for Pedro, allowing Lin Quan to receive a standing ovation from the fans. The fans adored their player, showering him with applause as he left the field. Lin Quan was involved in all five goals, with two goals and three assists, showcasing his exceptional performance.

After Lin Quan left, the pace of the game slowed down. Without his coordination and transitions, Spain's attacks lost their sharpness. Slovakia, after being thoroughly beaten, also settled down, and the match became uneventful.

Del Bosque then brought on Cazorla, Koke, and others, replacing Iniesta and Fabregas. They had another match in three days, and although they had already secured qualification, Del Bosque wanted these players to stay with the team. Even if not for playing, training together more was beneficial. The national team didn't have much time to train together, and the players' chemistry wasn't as strong as it was with their club teammates. For instance, Lin Quan clearly had more chemistry with David Silva.

Three days later, in North Macedonia's home ground, Spain didn't score but still won 1-0, thanks to an own goal by the opposing goalkeeper. Del Bosque fielded many substitutes, and their performance was only average. Despite dominating with 78% possession and 18 shots, Spain couldn't score a goal.

From the statistics and the match, it was one-sided, but the score suggested a close game. Spain's old issue of struggling to break down defenses without Lin Quan reappeared. Without him, the players seemed clueless on how to attack, passing the ball around beautifully but failing to finish.

Even when Del Bosque brought on Diego Costa in the second half, it didn't change the situation. Costa had four shots, two off target and two saved by the goalkeeper. Costa's finishing ability was far behind Lin Quan's; if Lin Quan had those chances, he would likely have scored twice, Del Bosque thought.

As for the newcomers like Vitolo, Paco, Marc Bartra, and Bernat, their performances were disappointing. Del Bosque could clearly see the gap between them and the golden generation. Expecting them to replace the veterans was unrealistic. This worried Del Bosque. Spain's strength might hold for now, but once the 85 golden generation retired, there would be no suitable replacements.

Among the younger generation, only a few like Isco, Juan, Koke, and Morata showed promise. But maintaining a strong team needed more than just a few players, even with Lin Quan's brilliance. If new talents didn't emerge, Spain's dominance might end by 2018.

While most people in Spain celebrated their current success, few like Del Bosque were aware of the underlying issues. Even if someone pointed them out, it would be hard to wake the complacent masses. However, reality wouldn't change based on people's perceptions. France's coach, Deschamps, also noticed Spain's problems. He had been preparing for the future by promoting and relying on young players, gradually revitalizing the French team.

"Spain, we'll test your true strength in next year's European Championship!"