Spain continue to strengthen their hold on world soccer and will travel to the Estadio Carlos Tartiere in Oviedo to face Czechia on Saturday, October 3. With the team firing on all cylinders and records continuing to be stretched, the reigning World Champions look set to maintain momentum and deliver a greater blow.
Spain Could Hardly Have Asked for a Better Start
Luis de la Fuente’s side have started their post-World Cup era better than they could have imagined.
After the 3-2 thriller against England at Wembley, Spain returned home for the first time as world champions and dismantled Croatia 4-1 in Seville.
Lamine Yamal continued his run of world-class performances, strengthening his claim to the Ballon d’Or conversation. The Barcelona star scored twice and provided an assist against Croatia, adding to the goal he scored against England in Spain’s opening Nations League fixture. Marc Pubill and Nico Williams also got on the scoresheet against Croatia, with Pubill scoring his first senior international goal before Williams completed the 4-1 victory late in the game.
That victory gave Spain six points from their opening two matches and extended their remarkable unbeaten run to 40 matches, a streak which began against Brazil in March 2024. They have also now won nine consecutive internationals heading into this fixture.
Czechia Have Had a Nightmare Start
The picture for the visitors is far less encouraging.
Czechia have lost both of their opening matches, first falling 2-1 to Croatia before losing 2-0 to England. They currently sit bottom of Group A3 without a point.
They did manage to score against Croatia through Adam Karabec, but the old guard of Croatia cruised to a victory led by goals from Luka Modric and Marco Pasalic.
Their defeat to England was particularly damaging. Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane eventually found the goals that gave England a 2-0 victory after Pavel Šulc was sent off in the first half.
Spain Has Been a Tale of Two Halves
Spain’s attack has been devastating in the final third, spearheaded by Lamine Yamal.
They have already scored seven goals across their opening two Nations League matches, with Yamal scoring three of them. The more concerning statistic is the number of goals they have conceded.
Spain have conceded three goals in their opening two matches. That is already two more than the number they conceded during their entire World Cup campaign.
However, that does not necessarily point toward a major tactical problem. England and Croatia are both high-level international opponents, and Spain’s defensive structure has not consistently produced the kind of errors that would suggest a serious defensive collapse. The standard surrounding this Spain team is just that high that even when they concede just three goals, it becomes a talking point. Anything less than a cleansheet against Czechia would be concerning though.
Spain vs Czechia: Head-to-Head Record
Spain have never lost to Czech Republic in seven previous meetings.
La Roja have won five of those games, while the other two ended in draws. Spain have scored ten goals across those seven encounters, while Czech Republic have scored three.
The most recent meeting came in the 2022 Nations League, when Spain won 2-0 in Málaga after the teams had drawn 2-2 in Prague earlier in the competition.
Spain vs Czechia: Team News and Predictions
Spain’s squad has significantly changed from the one that was originally announced.
Eric García was forced to withdraw after suffering discomfort in his left knee and was replaced by Robin Le Normand. Alejandro Grimaldo has since also left the camp after suffering a thigh problem during the warm-up before the Croatia match, with Fran García called up as his replacement.
Nico Williams has also withdrawn from the squad after reporting discomfort in his left thigh following the Croatia game. The RFEF confirmed that he would return to Athletic Club to continue his recovery, with no replacement called up yet. And the latest, Ferran Torres also returns to PSG to nurse an injury, with wonderkid Carlos Espi finally called up in his place.
These changes mean De la Fuente will have to continue managing his squad carefully as Spain navigates the two remaining games.
As for Czechia, Pavel Sulc remains suspended owing to the red card he picked up vs England.
Prediction: Spain 3-0 Czechia
Abhik Deb is an accomplished sports journalist and content creator, renowned for his innovative approach to digital storytelling within the football world. With a Master’s degree in Sports Journalism and Communications from Universidad Europea de Madrid, Abhik brings a sophisticated understanding of both traditional journalistic tenets and contemporary digital media strategies to his work. His professional journey includes a significant tenure as a multimedia journalist at Real Madrid C.F., where his contributions spanned video editing, scriptwriting, and on-camera presenting. Notably, Abhik made history as the first Indian to record a live stand-up from the hallowed Santiago Bernabéu pitch for Real Madrid TV, underscoring his pioneering spirit and influential presence. A specialist in La Liga and Spanish football, Abhik excels at captivating audiences through viral football content and insightful documentary-style videos. His natural ability to blend rigorous journalism with creative digital storytelling is evident in his independent fan channel, ‘LaLigaVic,’ where he cultivates a growing audience through engaging, original coverage of Spanish football culture. Abhik’s proficiency extends to social media strategy and audience engagement, crucial skills in today’s digital landscape. You can explore more of Abhik’s work on Hooligan Soccer and Muckrack. Connect with Abhik on Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube to follow his continuous dedication to delivering high-quality, authoritative sports content.
