Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Motorsports
  • Tennis

Spain, France prepare to throw down in Nations League final

by Reuters

TURIN, Italy Oct 08, 2021 - 1:59 pm GMT+3
France's Kylian MBappe controls the ball against Spain's Gerard Pique during a friendly match at Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, March 28, 2017. (Getty Images)
France's Kylian MBappe controls the ball against Spain's Gerard Pique during a friendly match at Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, France, March 28, 2017. (Getty Images)
by Reuters Oct 08, 2021 1:59 pm
RECOMMENDED
A worker removes a banner of FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023 at a main road, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, March 27, 2023. (EPA Photo)

Indonesia FA takes on FIFA over Israel's U-20 World Cup storm

FIFA

Spain and France meet at the San Siro stadium on Sunday in the Nations League final after a week in which the competition, in just its second edition, truly delivered on its promise.

UEFA launched the Nations League in 2018 amid much puzzlement about the format and skepticism about whether such a competition was needed or desired given the prominence of the European Championship and World Cup for national teams.

The argument from European football’s governing body was that replacing friendly matches with competitive games in a mini-group format, with a Final Four tournament at the end, would deliver better entertainment value for fans and more meaningful action for the players.

This week’s games, delivered in a rapid playoff format, certainly provided the quality and excitement fans crave and no one who witnessed them, either in the venues or watching on television, would have considered they were in any way “meaningless” for the players.

In fact, in this concentrated format, the competition delivers the business end of a tournament without all the laboring through a group stage, the travel between multiple venues and the slow burn buildup throughout a month of games.

Spain’s 2-1 win over Euro 2020 champion Italy in Milan on Wednesday, followed by France’s thrilling comeback to beat Belgium 3-2 in Turin a day later, were games that could have graced the latter stages of either of the established international tournaments.

Sunday’s final promises more of the same.

France is the world champion and possesses a front three that is arguably unmatched in the game – the brilliance and speed of Kylian Mbappe, the deadly finishing of Karim Benzema and the craft and guile of Antoine Griezmann.

Spain has been going through a transition period under coach Luis Enrique, not only in terms of personnel but also style, and against Italy they offered clear evidence of their direction of travel.

Luis Enrique has been willing to turn to the most inexperienced of young players, with Barcelona’s 17-year-old midfielder Gavi enjoying an impressive debut against Italy, having made only three starts for his club Barcelona.

Injuries mean that Spain is without its recognized forwards in Alvaro Morata and Gerard Moreno this week, but in their absence Manchester City’s Ferran Torres, nominally a winger, played in the middle and scored both goals against Italy.

While Spain still treasures possession, the team also transitions through midfield much more quickly than in the past and has a refreshing directness in the wide areas where Mikel Oyarzabal and Pablo Sarabia shone against the Azzurri and another teenager, Yeremi Pino, impressed off the bench.

France coach Didier Deschamps has switched his team to a 3-4-3 formation with attacking wing-backs in Benjamin Pavard and Theo Hernandez dangerous throughout against Belgium and it will be fascinating to see who takes control of the wide areas in the final.

At the end of Sunday night, one team will raise the Nations League trophy and while that silverware does not carry the prestige of the European Championship won by Italy in July, it will be hard for anyone to claim it is meaningless.

RECOMMENDED
A worker removes a banner of FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023 at a main road, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, March 27, 2023. (EPA Photo)

Indonesia FA takes on FIFA over Israel's U-20 World Cup storm

FIFA
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Oct 08, 2021 3:00 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    nations league france spain italy belgium football
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Nadia Kahf holds her gavel after being appointed as a judge, in Passaic County Superior Court, New Jersey, U.S., March 23, 2023. (Twitter Photo)

    Muslim woman becomes 1st headscarf-wearing judge in US

    MUSLIMS-IN-US
    A helicopter is seen amid a dust storm at an airport in Deir eI-Zour, Syria, Sept. 15, 2017. (AP File Photo)

    US fails to account for downed PKK helicopter in Iraq

    HELICOPTER-CRASH

    Mr. Biden, thanks, just thanks

    Türkiye-US-RELATIONS

    Turkish drone magnate to unveil sea-based aircraft before test flight

    Defense-industry
    The Last of US (2013)
    From AAA's to indie hits: 50+ games that defined the last decade
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021