National coach Luis Enrique is making two changes to Spain’s line-up for the match against Croatia in the eighth finals of the European Championship. Left back José Gayà, who has played less than a minute at the European Championship, is preferred over Jordi Alba. In the front, Ferran Torres gets a chance, so Gerard Moreno takes a seat on the bench. The game in Copenhagen starts on Monday evening at 6 p.m.
The reserve role for Alba is particularly surprising. The left-back was on the field for 90 minutes in all of Spain’s group matches. In the last exhibition game before the European Championship, against Portugal (0-0), Gayà played the entire game as a left back. Torres started in the first group match against Sweden (0-0) in the starting line-up, but had to make up against Poland (1-1) and Slovakia (0-5 victory) in a substitute. He did score in the last game.
Croatia’s preparation was disrupted by a positive corona test with Ivan Perisic. The attacker had a starting place in all group matches and scored against both the Czech Republic (1-1) and Scotland (3-1). Perisic is quarantined and his absence is taken care of by Ante Rebic. In the rear, there is a surprising change compared to the last group game with Scotland (3-1 win): Dejan Lovren is replaced by Duje Caleta-Car, who only had a starting spot in the first group game with England (1-0 loss) .
Croatia line-up: Livakovic; Juranovic, Vida, Caleta-Car, Gvardiol; Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic; flaxic; Rebic, Petkovico
Spain line-up: Simon; Azpilicueta, Eric Garcia, Laporte, Gaya; Koke, Busquets, Pedri; Sarabia, Morata, Ferran.
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