

Some of the younger generations may not remember before Spain started winning so many trophies, back then they were called La Furia Roja (Red Fury), because of the fighting spirit they had against any side they faced. Although they did have many top quality players, they lacked an all around team that could produce that offensive football we all know and love today. But with the Italian side as their next rival, some of those old ways could really help out Spain this Monday.
A player who knows all too much about being competitive and never giving up, Atletico Madrid's Koke, wants that mindset to be the main characteristic in every Spanish player this Monday. He made a battle cry to all his teammates because Antonio Conte's side will put things incredibly difficult for them. That Cantenaccio style will make Spain suffer because it's the perfect antidote to that world famous tiki-taka. Koke spoke to the press ahead of the game.
Talking to Diario AS, Koke said: "Tiki-taka has done great things for us and brought us a lot of success. We can mix touches of this 'red fury' with 'tiki-taka', which would be great for Spain. We are competitive and there are people who want to win. Although at times it looks like Spain play to have possession of the ball and not to attack, that's not the way it is. We have possession to attack and tire out our rivals. In the first two games and the third we played some great stuff. Spain are showing that they have that competitive edge."
Photo credit: Seleccion Española