Spain’s national football team coach Julen Lopetegui speaks with a guest at the end of the 2018 FIFA World Cup football tournament final draw at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow on December 1, 2017. Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP
Spain coach Julen Lopetegui believes an enticing clash with European champions Portugal, led by World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo, to start their World Cup campaign leaves the 2010 champions with little room for error in Russia.
The Iberian neighbours will be favourites to progress from Group B after also being paired with Morocco and Iran in Friday’s draw in Moscow, but they face each other first up in Sochi on June 15.
Real Madrid’s Ronaldo is just one of a number of Portugal’s top players who ply their trade in Spain, but Lopetegui was keener to point to the overall qualities Portugal showed in claiming their first major trophy at Euro 2016 just 18 months ago.
“Straight away it isn’t the time to talk about individuals,” Lopetegui told Spanish TV station Cuatro.
Portugal World Cup Draw Worries Spain’s Lopetegui
