Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has urged his players to live up to the growing expectations as they prepare to face Austria in the FIFA World Cup round of 32 on Saturday.
Spain began their campaign with a goalless draw against Cape Verde. They responded with wins over Saudi Arabia and Uruguay to reach the knockout stage.
“We’re continuing to grow under pressure; I love that high expectations are placed on us,” De la Fuente said.
“Now it’s up to us to live up to those expectations because obviously there’s no margin for error now; we have to win the next match,” he added.
Spain will now take on Austria in Los Angeles for a place in the last 16.
De la Fuente said his team has improved with every match and believes the players are ready for the challenge ahead.
“It’s a process, a path we have to travel,” he said. “The competition is different, the opponents are different, there are different styles of football, and you have to improve and make progress.”
The Spain coach praised Austria and said they have become a stronger team under coach Ralf Rangnick.
“Discipline, strength, physical power, aerial play. They have always been a hallmark of the Austrian school. But with Ralf Rangnick, they’ve taken it a step further,” De la Fuente said.
“Now they’re pressing higher up the field and are applying more intense defensive pressure. They have the players to do it, and they’ve hit the right note, playing a style that suits them very well and that they’re enjoying.”
Despite the pressure, De la Fuente said Spain have set even higher standards for themselves.
“It’s normal to hold us to high standards. We set even higher ones for ourselves,” he said.
“We’re competitors. We want to improve every day. When you face a top team, everything becomes harder. But that is the challenge. It brings out the best in us.”
He also believes the knockout stage will be decided by small moments.
“On equal footing, whoever is capable of controlling the situations when moments arise is closer to winning. If it challenges us, I think that’s fantastic,” he said.
