Tuchel: “It seems Spain can’t lose... it’s impressive”

Thomas Tuchel praised the Spain national team hours before facing Argentina in the semifinal, which will determine La Roja’s opponent in the final. He hopes it will be his team.

Rivalry with Argentina. “It’s a great soccer match between two great soccer nations. We know why we’re here. We’re going to dream about it. We arrive at the semifinal very hungry. We don’t dwell on historical events. It’s a soccer event, nothing more.”

History. “The players are aware of what this match means. But we focus on tactical aspects; we don’t talk about historic or symbolic events. We try to explain how to act during different moments of the match and reduce the tension.”

Rice. “Everyone is ready except Quansah (suspended) and Henderson. Everyone else is fine.”

Norway, in the quarterfinals. “We made a lot of technical mistakes, which slowed our attacking rhythm. It affected the tempo of our attacks. We’ve improved throughout the tournament as a team. Our build-up play and the acceleration of our attacks need to be at a higher level. Hopefully we can get the best out of ourselves.”

Spain. “I only watched the first half of Spain’s match, and it was extremely impressive. Congratulations to them. The bigger the stage, the better they play.”

De la Fuente. “Look at the run they’re on. It seems like they can’t lose. What they’ve done is impressive. They play with a brand — the Spain brand. I only watched the first half. Congratulations, and I pay tribute to all of them.”

Messi. “His World Cup was unbelievable. Who am I to talk about it? There are no words to explain what he’s shown. He’s the leader. You can see the cohesion they have as the tournaments go by. They’ve been together for a long time.”

Ian Wright. “I rate Argentina more highly than the critics do. They have the collective, the spirit, they don’t panic when they’re behind on the scoreboard. They have the complete package. But every team can be beaten.”

Opponent. “It’s a fantastic match. It’s an honor to face the champions and Messi. It’s a source of pride for me to be the national team’s head coach. I hope I can help my players.”

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