DOHA: Luis Enrique said Spain will not count their chickens before they are hatched when they face Japan on Thursday, aiming to win and qualify for the World Cup knockout phase.
La Roja are top of Group E on four points and are guaranteed to progress with a draw, but are aiming for all three points at the Khalifa International Stadium.
Some have suggested that Spain might benefit from coming second and avoiding a potential quarter-final clash with Brazil, but their coach disagreed.
“We have reflected on it, but from a professional point of view, imagine this, that we were interested in coming second,” Luis Enrique told a press conference Wednesday.
“We’re in the 90th minute, stoppage time arrives, and both games are 0-0. And in the 95th minute with 15 seconds to go, Japan score and Costa Rica score.
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