Spain manager Luis de la Fuente had special praise for goalkeeper Unai Simon after their 5-4 victory in the Nations League over France. The Athletic Club shot-stopper made a number of saves in the semi-final, which proved to be crucial throughout the game.
Simon missed the first few months of the season after surgery, following Euro 2024 last summer. He has been in mixed form this season for Athletic, and some have wondered whether he should remain La Roja’s number one. Against France, he made six saves, including several while the game was at 0-0. After the Spain victory, de la Fuente was bullish on his number one.
“I’m especially happy for Unai, who has been mistreated and questioned for a long time. I hope some people now recognise his courage,” he told Cadena SER.
“We have three goalkeepers who could all be starters. I’m very happy with his performance. He’s a player who has been mistreated and criticised, and he didn’t deserve it. His career is spectacular, and he’s a great teammate.”
Despite conceding four goals, the players picked out by de la Fuente for extra praise were his goalkeeper and central defender, Dean Huijsen. The 20-year-old started his third straight game for Spain, but de la Fuente said he was not surprised by his performances.
“He’s one of those players who possesses a maturity that belies his age. For us, he wasn’t a discovery because we knew what he could do. He’s had his chance, and we know his potential, and that’s why he’s been signed by Real Madrid. He proves that playing for this team comes at a premium because the level is extraordinary.”
The Spain manager would go on to say that he would sign for a 5-4 victory in every game, after it was put to him that there might have been an air of frustration at the game falling back into jeopardy despite leading 5-1. La Roja face Portugal in the final on Sunday, which de la Fuente said he was excited about, facing a ‘very hard opponent’, in a game with ‘two sides that enjoy playing football well’.
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