Morocco v Spain: Luis Enrique hopes his side’s penalty practice ‘homework’ pays off

Spain coach Luis Enrique hopes his players’ “homework” of practising 1,000 penalties will pay off against Morocco in the World Cup last 16.

Spain were eliminated on penalties by Italy in the semi-finals of last year’s Euros.

“I imagine that they have done their homework,” said Enrique.

“Over a year ago, in one of the Spain camps, I told them they had to get here with at least 1,000 penalties taken,” Enrique said.

“If you wait until getting here to practise penalties… [it won’t be enough].

“It’s a moment of maximum tension, a time to show your nerve and that you can shoot the penalty in the way you have decided, if you have trained it a thousand times.

“It says a lot about each player. It’s trainable, manageable, how you manage the tension. It’s increasingly less luck – the goalkeepers have more influence.

“We have a very good goalkeeper, any of the three can do very well in this situation. Every time we finish training, I see a lot of players taking penalties.”

Meanwhile, Morocco wing-back Achraf Hakimi says he thinks his side can “pull off another surprise” against Spain.

The 24-year-old, who was born in the Spanish capital Madrid, could have been lining up for the opposition for his international career.

Hakimi, who had been selected for Spain’s junior teams, said: “It is something unique playing for your country and especially now that we are making history.

“It’s incredible to see how people are living it with us, and that energy transmits a lot to us and gives us strength to continue and look to do great things.”

Hakimi was signed by Real Madrid aged seven, before breaking into the first team and then moving to Borussia Dortmund on loan. He has since won the Serie A title with Inter Milan and now plays for French giants Paris St-Germain.

Hakimi says his side – who were denied a World Cup victory over Spain in the group stages four years ago when Iago Aspas scored an injury-time equaliser – “deserve a little respect”.

“Four years of experience since have meant I’ve come with a more mature mentality,” he added.

“Spain are a top-five team and always come to the World Cup to win but our coach has also taught us to have a winning mentality. It doesn’t matter who we are up against. We are going to play our way and try to beat them.

“We finished first in the group and I think we deserve a little respect. I think that Spain know that and that they have to be a little afraid of us. Why can’t we pull off a surprise again?”

TEAM NEWS

Enrique says he has a full squad of 26 players available to choose from after Cesar Azpilicueta recovered from his knock against Japan.

Morocco also have a clean bill of health and Hakimi is likely to be fit to play after nursing an ankle injury.

CHRIS SUTTON’S PREDICTION

Spain are the best footballing team in this tournament.

I really like their style and their pretty passing patterns but they always try to play through people and if teams are sitting deep they can find it difficult.

I watched them against Japan on Thursday and they had all of the ball but they didn’t look like scoring even when they got desperate – maybe Guillem Balague was right about their lack of goals after all.

So, this one is going to be close. Morocco are probably stronger physically, but I don’t think they will chase the ball high up the pitch – instead, they will probably sit back and pick their moments, a bit like Japan did against Spain.

Sutton’s prediction: 0-1

MATCH FACTS

• Spain have never lost in three previous meetings with Morocco (W2 D1), with their two wins both coming in qualifying play-off legs for the 1962 World Cup in November 1961 (1-0 away, 3-2 home).
• Morocco are featuring in the knockout stages of the World Cup for only the second time, also reaching the round of 16 in 1986, losing 1-0 to Germany that year.
• Morocco are unbeaten in their last four matches at the World Cup (W2 D2). The only African team to go five consecutive World Cup games without defeat are Cameroon (W2 D3 between 1982 and 1990).
• Alvaro Morata has scored in each of his last three World Cup appearances for Spain, despite playing a total of just 126 minutes across those games. The only Spain player to score in four World Cup games in a row is David Villa in 2010.

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