After going home early during the FIF World Cup, Spain is faced with another defeat during a friendly match against France 1-0. Spain has three new players in their starting line up during the game in Paris.
But Spain coach Vicente del Bosque believes that their performance against France was good having heralded France with high regards. He said that their feat during the friendly's' will be a great start to the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign against Macedonia in Valencia on Monday.
He said "There was a good attitude from everyone. We moved the ball well and there were plenty of positives to take with lots of new faces. It was an even game. They had quicker transitions, but we controlled the game more. We need more matches but we will improve and in general I think we showed we are a good team."
This is after the team saw Xavi Hernandez, Xabi Alonso and David Villa retire from international football and was also missing the likes of Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique in Paris.
Spain lacked the confidence to take chances with regards to shots. They only had a clear opportunity of making a goal when substitute David Silva sent a shot narrowly wide seven minutes from time. But the coach believes that centre-forward Diego Costa will come to his former self during international level.
He said "We didn't take what chances we had but the connection with Diego Costa was better. We need to link up well with him. They are very strong defensively and didn't let us play."
del Bosque is expecting the return other notable players from Spain and the incoming surge of young bloods as well. He said "First we need to qualify. Even if we had done better at the World Cup I think we would still have taken the same measures. The regeneration of the team was needed but we maintain the same basis of players as in the past."
On the other hand, France coach Didier Deschamps said that del Bosque is no magician and he understands what del Bosque is going through.
He said "Everyone who started was at the World Cup and they know each other, while Spain had some new faces. You can't change everything overnight. It is never easy when you take out the likes of Alonso, Xavi, Pique and Iniesta. They played together with their eyes closed. Del Bosque is a great coach but he's not a magician."
