‘What is the plan?’: Spanish sports pages FUME at Scotland ‘shipwreck
Spanish newspapers raved about the national team after their dismal 2-0 loss to Scotland at Hampden Park, which gave the home side their first win over the visitors since 1984.
A raucous blaring Tartan Army saw his side score the historic win to get their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign off to a perfect start after Saturday’s 3-0 win over Cyprus.
Scotland were sent shooting to the top of Group A after an unnamed Spanish team failed to find an answer in either halves to Scott McTominay’s double.
Manchester City’s Rodri, who donned the armband for the match, was bitter about the defeat, calling Scotland’s performance “rubbish” and blaming wasted time, play and a negligent referee for Spain’s defeat.
But instead of looking for excuses at his side, the national press was quick to deny the mistakes made by an ‘inconsistent’ team and a coach whose eight changes had no ‘results’.
WHAT’S THE PLAN? Marca offered a brutal assessment of Spain’s performance after their defeat
A much changed Spanish team could not give Scotland a reply for either goal.
McTominay scored at the start of each half to give Scotland the historic victory.
Newspaper brand was the first to ask questions to coach Luis de la Fuente, his headline shouting: ‘What is the plan?’
Shedding light on the shame of defeat, the cover read: ‘Scotland paints the face of a Spain that did not work on any line.
A vulgar and inconsistent team pays for its mistakes with a painful defeat after two goals from McTominay.
The cover featured a scathing quote from De la Fuente: ‘I have told the players that this is the way.’
The coach, who has led La Roja since the departure of former manager Luis Enrique after a lackluster World Cup exit by Morocco in the round of 16, made eight changes to the team that beat Norway 3-0 on Saturday.
The squad featured lacked the bold names expected in a Spanish starting XI, with De La Fuente delivering full debuts to 29-year-old defender David Garcia and former Newcastle player Joselu.
With the loss, he became the first Spain manager to lose his first away game since Vicente Miere in 1991.
as he offered an equally damning autopsy, the headline of which read: “Shipwreck in Glasgow.”
Spain falls in Scotland after an acceptable first half and a horrible second.
‘No result of the eight changes of De la Fuente.’
SHIPWRECK IN GLASGOW: This is how he highlighted a ‘horrible’ second half for the visitors
WRECK: Sport’s review was equally damning and also had little praise for Scotland.
The team conceded in the first eight minutes of the game after Manchester United man McTominay justified his inclusion in the starting line-up with a continuation of his rich international goalscoring form.
With his third goal in three days and 38 minutes played, the Newcastle keeper took advantage of a moment of Spanish weakness to keep Scotland in the lead.
He scored again just after the break and the visitors were unable to regain momentum.
Sports The headline was in the same line, simply: ‘Shipwreck’.
The lack of young talents from Barcelona in the starting eleven drew attention, such as Gavi -whom De la Fuente chose to rest- and the injured Pedri, and hinted that the loss should be more than instructive for Spain due to lack of Scottish quality .
‘La Roja, without any blaugrana in the eleven, falls hopelessly against Scotland with poor vision.
“De la Fuente made eight changes, and the team broke in defense, and only Joselu created danger in attack.”
Newcomer David Gracia had a night to forget, partly to blame on the length of the pitch
Former Newcastle man Joselu was unable to upset Angus Gunn, in only his second international appearance for Scotland.
Luis De la Fuente bet against Steve Clarke’s team that did not work out
The former Urraca, who returned to La Liga after failing to make an impact at Newcastle, hit the crossbar in the first half but did not give goalkeeper Angus Gunn, in his second cap, any major scare.
According to Marca, the head coach took the loss seriously, but believed there were positives to build on, saying after the game: ‘It was a painful loss.
‘In analyzing the game, I think we did things well and I think we did enough to get a result. I will keep those positive things, but we have to improve a lot.
‘I am delighted with the attitude of the players. We tried everything, but it didn’t work.
‘Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go to return [to our best]. We have sown, and surely the future will assure us of better experiences.’