Present at a press conference on Monday before returning to Morocco in the round of 16, Luis Enrique was very virulent in the face of journalists. Sure of his strength and his philosophy of play, the coach of La Roja did not necessarily appreciate the criticisms made, especially after the defeat against Japan. “You tell me about ten complicated minutes out of the 270 minutes we played during the first round. You only see the negative. The opponent also plays football, that’s the game, and the more we advance in the competition, the more the opponent will cause us problems. We are entering a double or quits phase, so there is more pressure. But we are aware of our qualities”thus launched Enrique before launching the clash against Morocco.
“We will not change our philosophy. Our goal is always to build from the back and get the ball up front in the best possible way. And when we defend, our attackers are the first defenders, it’s teamwork. Then the player decides, if he should swing, he swings, anything goes. But we will continue to play from the back, because that’s how we will create chances and score goals. That’s what got us here.”. The message got through. Place, now, on the ground.