The officiating at the FIFA World Cup has come under increasing scrutiny over the past week, with a series of questionable decisions and a perceived leniency towards physical play. This trend was evident in Spain's match against Uruguay, where La Roja were on the receiving end of some harsh challenges. As a result, Spain may pay the price for the refereeing decisions.
Spain's performance in the tournament so far has been underwhelming, with their only impressive display coming in the first half against Saudi Arabia. Despite this, coach De la Fuente has defended his team's play, stating that they handled the unfamiliar scenario well. He praised his team's work, highlighting their ability to concede few goals and score plenty, and expressed confidence in their solidity.
The match against Uruguay was marked by a series of intense and physical challenges, with Agustin Canobbio being sent off for a reckless tackle on Pau Cubarsi. However, the Spanish team felt that the referee was too permissive, allowing the game to become overly physical. De la Fuente expressed his hope that his team could play "normal games" without such intense physicality, and emphasized the importance of focusing on the football itself.
Spain's injury concerns have been compounded by the news that Yeremy Pino has suffered a shoulder injury, which could rule him out of the remainder of the tournament. Nico Williams is also a doubt after being involved in an aggressive challenge. De la Fuente acknowledged the challenges posed by the World Cup, stating that the demands are different from those of the European Championship, but expressed his confidence in his team's ability to adapt.
Despite their underwhelming performance, Spain qualified first in their group and will face the runner-up of Group J in the Round of 32. Currently, this is set to be Austria, although Algeria can overtake them with a win in their final match. De la Fuente remains optimistic about his team's chances, citing their 34-game unbeaten run and their ability to surpass Brazil's record.
