Spain started their Euro 2024 preparation with a comfortable win over Andorra.
Ayoze Pérez opened the scoring for the hosts, and Mikel Oyarzabal scored a twenty minute hattrick to remind the rest of Europe just how good Spain can be.
Ferran Torres helped himself to Spain’s fifth as Luis de la Fuente’s side stated their intent ahead of the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024.
Story of the Match
In the first of La Roja’s two UEFA Euro 2024 warm-up friendlies, Luis de la Fuente’s side faced an Andorra side who hadn’t won since September 2022, a 2-0 win away to Liechtenstein.
Approaching his first senior international tournament, de la Fuente made ten changes to the side that drew 3-3 with Brazil in a thrilling encounter. Alvaro Morata was the only remaining player from that game, as the Spanish manager assessed his options ahead of their opening game on June 15th against Croatia.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Álex Grimaldo replaced Marc Cucurella, as Girona FC star Aleix Garcia also looked to impress ahead of the tournament. FC Barcelona’s 17-year-old defensive sensation Pau Cubarsí started in central defense alongside Athletic Club’s Daniel Vivian.
A fully fit Andorra side was available to manager Koldo Álvarez, 30-year-old defender Moisés San Nicolás making his 79th appearance for Els Tricolors.
After a strong start from Andorra, it was Spain who broke the deadlock in the 24th minute, a powerful volleyed effort from former Leicester City man Ayoze Pérez.
The goal sparked the hosts into life, and just ten minutes after the opening strike, Alvaro Morata thought he had doubled La Roja’s lead after an excellent passing move found the Atletico Madrid striker in space, his smart strike denied by the offside flag.
Andorra defended valiantly in the first half, Spain controlling the possession but failing to score again before the break. Arsenal’s David Raya was forced into two comfortable saves.
The halftime break saw de la Fuente make four changes; Mikel Oyarzabal, Robin Le Normand, Jesús Navas and Marc Cucurella replacing Álvaro Morata, Pau Cubarsí, Marcos Llorente and Álex Grimaldo. Andorra made one change, Marc Vales replacing the injured captain Éric Vales.
The Spanish pressure continued early in the second half, Oyarzabal firing a headed attempt just over the bar.
This pressure would be rewarded with a second goal in the 53rd minute, as a passage of classic Spanish Tiki Taka found Pérez, who squared the ball back to Oyarzabal to finish from 8 yards.
The second goal gave the hosts an injection of confidence, and Pérez came close to a second with a flying effort as he met a perfectly weighted Pedri cross.
That would be the last involvement for the Barcelona man, replaced in the 62nd minute by clubmate Fermín López.
Oyarzabal increased his side’s lead in the 66th minute, as López played an excellent ball down the line to Ferran Torres. One look to his left and Oyarzabal was set up for an unmissable tap-in.
Following the goal, Martin Zubimendi came on in place of Aleix Garcia.
de la Feunte was able to gather his players in the 70th minute cooling break, and just moments later Oyarzabal found his hattrick after yet more superb López play. The 21-year-old chopped inside and poked a ball to the Real Sociedad man, who’s first attempt was saved before he slammed the rebound home.
López decided he wanted another assist as he threaded yet another inch-perfect pass into Torres, and this time the former Manchester City winger took the chance himself, extending Spain’s lead to 5-0 in the 81st minute.
