Spain will be bidding to make it three victories in a row in all competitions when they take on Albania in an international friendly at RCDE Stadium on Saturday evening.
La Roja beat Sweden 1-0 in their last match in November, while Albania were 1-0 winners over Andorra in their final 2022 World Cup qualification fixture.
Match preview
© Reuters
Spain comfortably secured their spot at the 2022 World Cup by finishing top of Group B, collecting 19 points from eight matches, with La Roja finishing their campaign with a win against Sweden on November 14.
Luis Enrique's side suffered a 2-1 defeat to France in the UEFA Nations League final in October, but they were victorious in their final four World Cup qualification matches, failing to concede in the process, so the home side will enter this contest off the back of a positive run of results.
Spain will take on Albania and Iceland in their two March friendlies before returning to competitive action against Portugal in the UEFA Nations League at the start of June.
Enrique's team will already be thinking about the World Cup, though, and they will be bidding to make a serious impression in the competition for the first time since winning it in 2010, having been eliminated in the group stage in 2014 and round of 16 in 2018.
Spain reached the semi-finals of Euro 2020, meanwhile, and they are certainly capable of making a serious impression at this year's World Cup, as another hugely talented group of youngsters are emerging.
© Reuters
Albania, though, will not compete at the 2022 World Cup, having finished third in Group I, picking up 18 points from their 10 matches, two points behind second-placed Poland.
The Red and Blacks have never qualified for the finals of a World Cup, but they did compete at Euro 2016, losing two of their three matches to drop out of the tournament in the group stage.
Edoardo Reja's side will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 win over Andorra last November, and they will also take on Georgia in a friendly this month before turning their attention to the UEFA Nations League, beginning their campaign against Iceland at the start of June.
Albania struggled in their last away match, suffering a 5-0 defeat to England, while they have not been victorious on their travels in a friendly since the end of 2017.
The Eagles have lost each of their last seven matches against Spain, including a 3-0 defeat in their last meeting in 2017, while they have not even scored against La Roja since a 5-1 defeat in September 1993.
- W
- W
- D
- D
- D
- W
- W
- W
- W
- L
- W
- W
- L
- D
- W
- W
- D
- L
- W
- W
- W
- L
- L
- W
Team News
© Reuters
Spain boss Enrique has left David de Gea out of his squad despite the goalkeeper's impressive form for Manchester United this season, although Unai Simon is now firmly the national team's number one.
Brentford's David Raya will be hoping to make his debut for La Roja over their next two matches, while the likes of Carlos Soler, Hugo Guillamon, Gavi, Raul de Tomas and Yeremi Pino should all be involved.
Enrique is expected to send a relatively experienced XI onto the field for this game, though, with Ferran Torres, Pablo Sarabia and Dani Olmo likely to start as the front three, meaning that Alvaro Morata, who is comfortably the leading goalscorer in the squad with 23, might have to accept a spot on the bench.
As for Albania, Enea Mihaj has been forced to withdraw from the squad due to a positive COVID-19 test, while Nedim Bajrami will also not be involved in this match through injury.
Head coach Reja is likely to send a 3-5-2 formation onto the field, with Rey Manaj and Myrto Uzuni, who have 10 international goals between them, featuring as the front two.
Lazio's Thomas Strakosha is expected to get the nod between the sticks, while Armando Broja, who has excelled on loan at Southampton this season, should be involved at some stage of the match.
Spain possible starting lineup:
Simon; Azpilicueta, E Garcia, Laporte, Alba; Soler, Rodri, Pedri; Sarabia, F Torres, Olmo
Albania possible starting lineup:
Strakosha; Ismajli, Kumbulla, Hoxhallari; Roshi, Cekici, Ramadani, Bare, Hysaj; Manaj, Uzuni
We say: Spain 2-0 Albania
A number of Spain players will be determined to make their mark during the current international break in order to cement a spot in the squad for the World Cup, and we are expecting La Roja to put another victory on the board here, keeping a clean sheet in the process.
Top tip
No Data Analysis info
