Spain v England: Tuchel plays down racism row before Madrid decider
England's match today against Spain in Madrid decides their Nations League group. Tuchel named Konsa and Quansah and played down a racism row with De la Fuente.
Livefeed News DeskUpdated · 3 min read
Quick answer
England's Nations League match against Spain was set for Sunday 15 November at the Metropolitano in Madrid, with top spot in the group at stake. Thomas Tuchel paired Ezri Konsa and Jarell Quansah at centre-back and said his comments on anti-racism protocols had been "twisted".
Key facts
- England went into the game three points behind Spain at the top of their Nations League group.
- Spain were unbeaten in 43 matches, including a 3-2 win at Wembley in September.
- The game was England's first in Madrid since a 2004 friendly overshadowed by racist chanting.
- Spain's federation was fined 20,000 euros over a discriminatory chant during a match against Egypt in March.
- Ben White started at right-back ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
What was at stake at the Metropolitano
England met Spain at Atletico Madrid's home ground, the Metropolitano, on Sunday 15 November in their final Nations League group game. The Guardian listed kick-off for 7.45pm in its UK schedule. The sources available at the time of writing carry the team news but not the final score.
England started the night three points behind Spain, and a win would have secured top spot. Both sides were already through to the last eight. The group winner plays an unseeded team in the quarter-finals, with the second leg at home, when the competition resumes at the end of March.
Spain, the world champions, were unbeaten in 43 matches, a run that included a 3-2 win at Wembley in September. "It [Spain] is a team that has forgotten how to lose, so it requires a top performance first of all," Tuchel said. "I think we're there, and I think we're ready to win on Sunday."
England and Spain team news
Tuchel picked a 4-2-3-1: Trafford; White, Konsa, Quansah, Hall; Rice, Anderson; Rogers, Jude Bellingham, Gordon; Kane. Dan Burn dropped out for the Konsa and Quansah centre-back pairing, and Ben White started at right-back ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was on the bench.
Spain lined up in a 4-3-3: Unai Simon; Pubill, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Zubimendi, Fabian Ruiz, Merino; Lamine Yamal, Oyarzabal, Alex Baena. They were still without Rodri, and Pedri was among the substitutes.
Lamine Yamal returned after missing the 2-0 win over Czechia on Thursday. Accounts of that absence differ slightly: the Guardian's match blog described him as rested, while its earlier coverage reported that Luis de la Fuente put it down to discomfort in his knee.
Why anti-racism protocols came up
Before the game, Tuchel said he would remind his players of Uefa's anti-racism protocols. The fixture was England's first in Madrid since a 2004 friendly at the Bernabeu that was overshadowed by racist chanting aimed at England players.
Questions to Tuchel also referenced a recent sanction on the Spanish federation. ESPN reported that the RFEF was fined 20,000 euros and ordered to play its next friendly with a partial stadium closure after supporters sang a discriminatory chant about Muslims during Spain's match with Egypt in March. The BBC described the chants as "Islamophobic and xenophobic".
Uefa's protocol has three steps. The referee first halts the match and asks for a public address announcement. If the behaviour continues, the game can be stopped for five to 10 minutes with players taken off the pitch, and a third incident can lead to abandonment.
"It's important that the players know about the protocol," Tuchel said.
De la Fuente's response and Tuchel's reply
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente responded at his own news conference on Saturday. "What I'd tell you, and you can tell Thomas [Tuchel], is that in Spain, there's no racism," he said.
Tuchel then said his original comments had been "twisted" and that he was not expecting any incidents in Madrid. He accused reporters of manufacturing a disagreement between the two coaches. The Guardian noted that England have played three times in Spain without incident since 2004.
Frequently asked questions
Who are England playing today?
England played Spain in the Nations League at the Metropolitano in Madrid on Sunday 15 November.
What happens if England win the group?
The group winner plays an unseeded team in the quarter-finals, with the second leg at home, when the competition resumes at the end of March.
What is Uefa's anti-racism protocol?
Referees first halt the match for a public address announcement, then can take players off for five to 10 minutes, and can abandon the game if discrimination continues.
Did Trent Alexander-Arnold start for England against Spain?
No. Ben White started at right-back and Alexander-Arnold was named among the substitutes.
