Vicente Del Bosque could transform Spain to counter Italy’s 3-5-2 system, sending Alvaro Morata wide left with Aritz Aduriz upfront.
The Euro 2016 Round of 16 kicks off on Monday at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT) in Paris.
As reports Del Bosque will try to spread the Italian ‘BBC’ defence of Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini.
He’d achieve this by moving ex-Juventus striker Morata wide left, introducing Aduriz as the centre-forward.
Vicente Del Bosque could transform Spain to counter Italy’s 3-5-2 system, sending Alvaro Morata wide left with Aritz Aduriz upfront.
The Euro 2016 Round of 16 kicks off on Monday at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT) in Paris.
As reports Del Bosque will try to spread the Italian ‘BBC’ defence of Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini.
He’d achieve this by moving ex-Juventus striker Morata wide left, introducing Aduriz as the centre-forward.
Real Madrid right-sided winger Lucas Vazquez and Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke would also step in to add width to the team and help Sergio Busquets in midfield.
That would be three changes to the same XI Spain used in all three group games.
Del Bosque did use a 4-3-3 system when Spain drew 1-1 with Italy in a friendly back in March, though at that time the Azzurri started with 3-4-3.
Xavi pointed out in an in-depth interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport why Spain would have serious problems facing a 3-5-2 system.
“Your 3-5-2 is the most complex system for an opponent that wants to press high up. When Italy want to bring the ball up, they have three at the back and two on the wings, for a total of five potential receivers of the ball. Pressing the way that Spain like to do becomes really difficult.
“And playing with two strikers makes things difficult for us up-front, too, because both of our central defenders are engaged and one of the full-backs, Juanfran or Jordi Alba, has to push up to close on [Antonio] Candreva or [Alessandro] Florenzi. It leaves us with a three-man defence.”
Spain (probable): De Gea; Juanfran, Pique, Ramos, Alba; Busquets, Iniesta, Koke; Lucas Vazquez, Aduriz, Morata