Nacho: Spain contingency stay loose opposite Italy

• Spain take on Italy in a essential Russia 2018 qualifier
• Tied on points during a tip of Group G, a dual are opposed for one proceed berth
• Nacho looks forward to this Saturday’s diversion during a Bernabeu

Nearly each child dreams of being a goalscorer when they grow up. There are always exceptions, though, and Nacho Fernandez is one of them. “I’ve enjoyed being a defender given we was a kid,” he told FIFA.com with a grin.

It comes as small surprise, then, that after starting his career as a defensive midfielder, a Spain general and Real Madrid girl product should finish adult in a back-line, where he enjoys his football most.

“I adore defending,” he added, “especially in situations where you’re right on a edge, when a antithesis emanate a definite possibility and we come along and stop them. When we get it right, we feel unequivocally gratified with yourself.”

Did we know?

• Nacho assimilated a Real Madrid girl ranks during a age of 11 and has stayed with a bar ever since.
• A Spain general during each turn from a U-15s upwards, he was a member of a side that finished runners-up during a FIFA U-17 World Cup Korea 2007.
• Made his full general entrance in 2013, in a accessible opposite Chile.
• He still lives in his home city of Alcala de Henares, in a hinterland of Madrid, and his younger hermit Alex is also a veteran footballer.
• At a age of 12 he was diagnosed with diabetes. Despite being told he could not lift on personification football, he has left on to do his dreams.
• His footballing purpose models are Fernando Hierro, Fabio Cannavaro and Sergio Ramos.

Now 27, Nacho is in a form of his life and has gradually and sensitively forced his proceed into a Madrid initial team, while also nailing down a place in a Spain squad, interjection in a categorical to his versatility, an item severely appreciated by Roja manager Julen Lopetegui.

“There’s no doubt it’s helped me in my career,” pronounced a player. “It’s critical for a manager to have someone who can play in opposite positions, and yet I’m some-more of a centre-half than a full-back, if we demeanour during my career in a final few years, you’ll see that I’ve played a lot of games during full-back.”

One of them was a 1-1 pull in Italy progressing in Group G of a 2018 FIFA World Cup Russiaâ„¢ qualifiers. When left-back Jordi Alba came off clutching his thigh in a 22nd minute, Lopetegui had no perplexity in branch to Nacho as his replacement.

Una pena el empate pero gran partido de todo el equipo. Un orgullo representar a mi país. pic.twitter.com/4KlYpR9s7C

— Nacho Fernández (@nachofi1990) October 6, 2016

An suitor of Italy’s ‘BBC’ (Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, who shaped partial of a Juventus side when his Madrid claimed their 12th European Cup/UEFA Champions League pretension in June), Nacho is some-more than good competent to analyse Saturday’s showdown between La Roja and La Squadra Azzurra during a Bernabeu.

Make or break
“Before a qualifiers started we knew that Saturday’s compare would be positively vital. We wish to book a place as shortly as we can. We’ve still got some tough teams to face and a wily divided diversion or two, though a win will concede us to proceed a matches we’ve got left in a calmer support of mind.”

Bonucci, a best of a BBC
“They’re a good three-man section and we watch them a lot. Their positioning is ideal and they know how to get a group to keep a figure when it’s defending. we like examination games and I’ve seen a lot of Juventus and Italy this year. Barzagli and Chiellini know how to use their knowledge on a pitch, though my favourite of a 3 is Bonucci. He’s got a lot of qualities.”

The lowdown on a match
“We’re personification during home, in front of a fans, and during a Bernabeu too. It’s a large track and it should be full. We need to stay loose and control possession, that is a clever point. When we pierce a round from one side to a other, we open adult space, that is what we need to emanate if we’re going to make them suffer. We also need to be unequivocally focused during a behind since they know how to harm us on a opposite and with high balls. We’ve been doing unequivocally good and we need to keep that going opposite Italy.”

Article source: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2017/m=8/news=nacho-spain-must-stay-relaxed-against-italy-2906314.html