Dani Olmo – Surprise Goal | Eurocup Germany 2024
He is not a striker. And he has only played two games so far. However, he is Spain’s top scorer in the European Cup with three goals. Dani Olmo is not a replacement for Luis de la Fuente’s team, on the contrary; he was expected to be one of the stars of La Roja. At least, that’s what former Germany captain Philipp Lahm foresaw. “What’s important to me is what happens behind closed doors. It’s important to me that the team wins. The recognition will come later. We have a unique opportunity. “We are one game away from glory,” said the midfielder after Spain’s penultimate training session before the trip to Berlin this Saturday. England await them on Sunday.
Last season was not a success for Dani Olmo, who suffered three injuries that forced him to miss 29 games. The last one, in the final stretch of the season, on the eve of Spain’s training camp for the Euros. Olmo then decided to speed up his concentration on La Roja and arrived in Las Rozas before everyone else. However, he did not find his fitness and missed two of Spain’s preparatory games before the trip to Germany (Andorra and Northern Ireland). More precisely, two friendlies in which Pedri scored. “Pedri needed to meet Pedri again,” De la Fuente said. Meanwhile, Olmo was trying to reunite with Dani Olmo. I didn’t get it.
In La Roja’s debut in Germany against Croatia, he played 31 minutes. He didn’t do it very well. Against Italy in the second group game, he didn’t even feature. “I’m calm, I have to make an effort. “I know I’ll have a chance,” he told his entourage. In any case, it happened that, watching the game before Azzurra From the bench, he activated Dani Olmo’s most competitive team. He redoubled his efforts in training, without changing the coexistence of the group under Morata’s command. “Alvaro always deserves the best. He is a teammate and a captain,” Olmo said.
He started again against Albania and provided a superb assist for Ferran Torres. But he was back on the bench against Georgia in the last 16. This time, he wasn’t angry. He came on in the second half and scored. And when Dani Olmo threatened to undermine Pedri, a brutal tackle from Toni Kroos ended the Canarian’s chances at the Euros. Olmo expressed solidarity with Pedri. “We’re together all day,” he warned Relevo; he had also shown his mettle for the Blaugrana earlier in March, when he picked up an injury against Athletic Bilbao: “He’s unlucky with injuries. That’s why I want to send Pedri my congratulations and support.”
Against Germany, when Pedri equalised in the 8th minute, Olmo took over the reins of La Roja. And, as in the match against Georgia in the last 16, he scored again against Mannschaft. “Dani will end up being an important person. He is a player we know a lot about, we know his potential. He is ideal for playing between the lines, but he can also play on the wing,” explains the coaching staff. “The fact that I had to start from the bench did not change my understanding of the competition. “I continued with the same ambitions,” Olmo insisted in an interview with El PAÍS.
Already assured of a starting XI, Dani Olmo upped his game against France with another goal that took him to the top of the Euro scoring charts, level with Cody Gakpo, Harry Kane, Ivan Schranz, Jamal Musiala and Giorgi Mikautadze. If he scores against England on Sunday, he could become the first player to do so in the last 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. “If possible, extra motivation,” he began. “But,” he explained; “as long as we win, I don’t care if I score or Unai Simon scores… The main thing is to win the game.”
David Villa scored four goals at the 2008 European Championship; David Silva, three, in 2012. Both won the Golden Boot; Spain, the European Cup for Las Rozas. “I felt very good in the European Cup, Harry Kane and I had an equal chance,” he said of his battle for the European Cup top scorer title. “But if Fabian Ruiz scores, who has two goals, and even Morata gets a hat-trick… We would be just as happy,” concluded Dani Olmo, always a favourite of De la Fuente and now the surprise scorer of La Roja.
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