Cesc Fabregas has hailed the “amazing unity” of the Spain squad ahead of Monday’s Euro 2016 clash with Italy in the last 16.
The Spanish camp has been faced with David de Gea’s implication in a sexual-abuse case and Pedro Rodriguez complaining about a lack of game time, while a 2-1 defeat to Croatia condemned La Roja to the harder part of the draw, but Fabregas insists all of his colleagues are pushing in the same direction.
“The health of the national team is phenomenal. The group are very united and we understand one another very well,” the Chelsea midfielder said at a Press conference.
“The unity we have is amazing. In our heads, there is only beating Italy and reaching the quarter-finals. We’ll have to play very well.
“That final against Italy [in 2012] may be the greatest game in the history of the Spanish national team.
“You don’t usually enjoy finals because both teams are closely matched, but it was a very comfortable final for us and we enjoyed it from the first goal.
“It’s one of those things that stay in your mind, but I don’t think it’ll be the same against Italy tomorrow.
“We’ve tried to [surprise] in every game. [Italy] adopt a difficult tactic of defending.
“In defence we have to do something new and in attack we’ll have variants, but always while staying true to our style.
“I don’t think we’re the favourites. They know how to surprise their opponents and we certainly have that in mind.
“We’ll have to work hard in order to earn the victory on the pitch.”
