Andres Iniesta has admitted that “I wish Victor Valdes was here” with the Spain squad but accepts the buck lies with Vicente del Bosque.
The Manchester United goalkeeper was not called up by La Roja for their upcoming Euro 2016 qualifiers against Slovakia and Macedonia, and his former Barcelona teammate sympathised with his “very difficult situation” at Old Trafford.
“We remember what the first match was like and have prepared very well [for the second],” he said at a Press conference ahead of the Slovaks on Saturday.
“Winning [on Saturday] is key to our progress [from the group]. [Slovakia] are a team who accumulate a lot of players through the middle, so we must move the ball quickly around the pitch and get our attackers involved.
“They're very good on the counterattack, so we must be outstanding in every aspect. It's a must-win if we want that position of privilege.
“[On the future], we must first think about the match against Slovakia and then take things as they come.
“[On playing at home], it certainly works best when the results are positive and the feelings are good, but we're only focused on doing well against opponents who will put us under difficulty. We must take our chances.
“[On Victor Valdes], I wish he was here because he's been experiencing a very difficult situation for some time, and only he knows the situation that he's facing.
“[A call-up] would have been a stimulus for him, but it's the Coach who makes those decisions.
“[On Martin Skrtel], he's a very important player for his club and country. He has lots of experience, but we'll try to do our own job too.”
