Nearly 30,000 people at the Geneva Stadium made the second Nations League match different to the one in Serbia. There was more of a footballing feel in Switzerland, even if everything else was not. The stadium had been plagued by fungus for days, making it unplayable, and the rain continued to fall throughout the match.
Spain fought against the elements and against the sending off of Le Normand after 20 minutes after a tussle with Embolo that ended up costing the Spanish player a red card. In came Vivian and out came Pedri. It was a relief for Barcelona who, like the rest of the clubs, live these international windows with fear of the FIFA virus, especially in conditions like those in Switzerland.
But before the Atletico Madrid centre-back was sent off, Spain had already taken the lead twice. A Joselu shot that was ruled out by the VAR and a Fabián goal from a Nico Williams pass put Luis de la Fuente’s side in front. Amdouni pulled one back from a corner in which the markers were lost as the ball approached David Raya’s goal.
In the second half, Zubimendi, Pino, Ferran Torres and Aleix García came on so that almost all the players called up had minutes. None of them were out of place, not even Rodri who played his first minutes this season after being injured in the final of the European Championship and not having been able to make his debut with Manchester City.
Switzerland wanted to equalise, but lacked quality. Under the incessant rain in Geneva, Spain returned to the game that made them European champions in Germany and finished off the game in the final minutes with a goal from Fabian and another from Ferran Torres to cool the Swiss.
Everything went well in this first call-up of the year. De la Fuente does not return any player injured and is already getting down to work to prepare for the next international window. The players will face a marathon of matches with five matches plus international competitions. The calendar that feeds them is beginning to squeeze them to the limits that put their physical condition at stake.
The European champions returned to winning ways in Switzerland. The Nations League will be a great tournament, but there is no doubt that these early games and cutting the domestic competition up to three times is no longer to the liking of the clubs or the players. The rumours of the whole thing being concentrated after the League are starting to get louder and louder when players receive injured players, get them healed and have to go back to their countries. The future of the National League and national team football has its days numbered in these uncomfortable breaks.