Historic test in Stuttgart: 90 years without a win over the hosts

Besides Mannschaft, This Friday in Stuttgart (18:00) Spain will face its history. The national team has never beaten its hosts in European competitions. He didn’t even score a goal. Since 1980, they have played against the host teams up to five times. In the Italian Eurocup they drew 0-0 with Nazionale at San Siro. Four years later, they suffered perhaps their heaviest defeat at the hands of the European Championship organiser. At the Parc des Princes they lost 2-0 as a result of Platini’s famous free-kick that went under Arconada’s body. Spain had a superb European Championship, beating Denmark and Germany thanks to Maseda’s famous performances, but were unable to beat France in the final.

In 1988, the national team coached by Miguel Muñoz, completing a cycle after the disappointment of 1986 against Belgium, lost in Munich against Germany (2-0, a brace from Rudi Völler). Spain, who won the first day of the group 2-3, could not overcome the walls of Italy and the hosts and went home in the Euro Cup, which the Netherlands eventually won thanks to a superb goal from Van Basten in the final against Russia. In 1996, Spain suffered another defeat at the hands of the host nation. After fantastic opportunities were missed during the match, especially by Manjarín, the match went to penalties. At Wembley, Hierro and Nadal failed.

It has been 20 years since Spain last met the European Championship hosts. And he didn’t leave behind any good memories. A failed team with Iñaki Saez on the bench lost 1-0 at the José Alvalade thanks to a goal from Nuno Gomes. Spain, having made a poor attempt on the flanks (Joaquin, Reyes, Vicente), did not even pass the first stage, and the coach’s farewell was confirmed. Then the era of Luis Aragones began. Twenty years later, Spain will once again try to challenge its own history.

Spain not only crashed against the hosts in the Eurocup. He also never beat them at the World Championships. Before losing to Brazil in 1950, in Italy (1934) they suffered a controversial defeat to the Nazionale in the so-called Battle of Florence. The first game ended 1-1, with several players injured. The following day, at the same venue, a goal by Meazza decided the tie-break. Spain had two very controversial goals disallowed. It was not the last time the referees played against the national team. Al Ghandour destroyed Camacho and Raul’s Spain team at the 2002 World Cup with disastrous refereeing against Korea. He missed two incredible goals from Baraja and Morientes, and Spain had to return without a semi-final prize after losing on penalties. In 2018, they were also eliminated by the hosts, Russia. Spain could not even beat the organizer in the Confederations. In 2013, they were waiting to end the cycle with a 3-0 defeat to Brazil. What happened on Friday in Stuttgart is a historic challenge.

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