Puebla, June 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) Spain's preparations for the FIFA World Cup enter a crucial phase as Luis de la Fuente's side travel to Mexico for their final warm-up match against Peru on Monday before opening their campaign against Cabo Verde on June 15.
The Spanish squad left for Puebla on Sunday after arriving at their World Cup base in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Friday. The match presents an additional challenge, with Puebla located around 2,100 metres above sea level, leaving Spain little time to acclimatise to the high-altitude conditions.
De la Fuente is expected to field a line-up close to the one he plans to start in Spain's World Cup opener. Several key players, including Mikel Oyarzabal, Pedri, Rodri, Pau Cubarsi, Marcos Llorente and Marc Cucurella, were rested during Thursday's 1-1 draw against Iraq and are expected to feature against Peru.
Champions League finalists Martin Zubimendi, David Raya and Fabian Ruiz are also likely to get valuable minutes, while Mikel Merino continues his comeback from the ankle injury that has sidelined him since February, as reported by Xinhua.
The Spain coach remains optimistic about the fitness of attacking stars Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal, both of whom are recovering from injuries. While neither will play against Peru, the duo are expected to rejoin full training next week and remain on course for the World Cup opener.
Following the draw with Iraq, De la Fuente revealed he already knows the starting XI for Spain's opening match against Cabo Verde, suggesting Monday's game will serve as the final rehearsal before the tournament begins.
The goalkeeping position remains one of the few areas under scrutiny. Joan Garcia endured a difficult outing against Iraq, making an error that led to the opposition's goal, while Unai Simon appears favourite to reclaim the No. 1 spot. David Raya is also expected to feature as Spain put the finishing touches on their World Cup preparations.
Source: IANS
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