Already assured of a spot at next year's Euro 2024 finals, Spain's penultimate qualifying Group A game takes place on Thursday evening, as La Roja take on Cyprus at the Alphamega Stadium.

While the visitors are now in a two-horse race with Scotland for top spot, the final whistle cannot blow soon enough for the hosts on the back of a disastrous campaign.

Match preview

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Trying and failing to qualify for the European Championships 15 times in a row, Cyprus have been the resident whipping boys in Group A and are at risk of ending another doomed preliminary campaign with the worst defensive record the continent has to offer.

From their seven fixtures in Group A so far, Cyprus have been put to the sword in all seven of them while scoring just two goals at the correct end of the field and shipping an alarming 25; only San Marino have a worse defensive record, and even then the microstate have let in just one more goal.

Furthermore, Cyprus and San Marino enter November's fixtures as two of the five teams without a win in Euro 2024 qualifying - an unwanted feat shared by Liechtenstein, Malta and Gibraltar - although Temur Ketsbaia's men did test Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili on a few occasions last time out.

However, after failing to make their opportunities count, the world's 124th-ranked nation were subjected to a second-half onslaught from Willy Sagnol's men, who strolled to a 4-0 success courtesy of efforts from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Otar Kiteishvili, Levan Shengelia and Georges Mikautadze.

That four-goal trouncing marked a sixth Group A loss in a row for Ketsbaia's troops - who have failed to score in each of their last four Euros qualifiers - and the basement side will simply aim to avoid one last demolition job before consigning their doomed run to history against Lithuania in Sunday's friendly.

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While Cyprus have largely been kept quiet on the attacking front since Group A kicked off, Norway's Erling Haaland has inevitably led the charge for his Nordic nation, but even he lost his irrepressible qualities when Spain came to town last month.

As Haaland cut an anonymous figure in the final third, Spain were left to rue one VAR call in the first half as an Alvaro Morata tap-in was ruled out for offside, but Gavi found the mark four minutes into the second period to confirm a top-two finish for Luis de la Fuente's team.

A total of 15 points from 18 on offer has La Roja level with fellow finalists Scotland, and the two sides cannot be separated in any head-to-head statistical category either - having each beaten the other 2-0 in Group A - but Spain's superior goal difference has them clinging onto first place.

While their flights have already been booked, Spain ought not to rest on their laurels while top spot is at stake - such a placement would potentially lead to a more favourable draw for the 2008 and 2012 champions - and De la Fuente's rejuvenated team bring a six-game winning streak with them to Limassol.

That run includes a 6-0 obliteration of Cyprus when the sides butted heads in September, which marked an eighth win from nine meetings with the world's 124th-ranked nation for La Roja, the one aberration being a shock 3-2 loss away from home during Euro 2000 qualifying.

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There is a notable absentee from the Cyprus squad for November's internationals, as 12-goal attacker Pieros Sotiriou - who sits joint-third in his nation's all-time scoring charts - will play no part for his country this month.

Veteran attacker Demetris Christofi - who has netted nine times for the hosts - is nowhere to be seen either, piling more pressure onto the shoulders of 20-year-old Loizos Loizou, who has just a solitary strike to show from 25 senior appearances so far.

While Spain are yet to have any players withdraw from the ranks - unlike several of their continental counterparts - a wealth of notable players are missing from the ranks either through injury or De la Fuente's tactical choices, including Aymeric Laporte, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Alejandro Balde, Marco Asensio, Pedri and Ansu Fati.

With qualification wrapped up, De la Fuente has taken a punt on four uncapped players in Alex Grimaldo, Alex Remiro, Rodrigo Riquelme and Aleix Garcia, and the former is in with a strong chance of making his first appearance, as Jose Gaya is nursing a minor issue but has linked up with the team.

Fati's omission will also open the door for record-breaking Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal to strut his stuff in the final third, while Pau Torres could take advantage of Laporte's absence at the back amid Aston Villa's wonderful start to the new term.

Cyprus possible starting lineup:
Panagi; Andreou, Karo, Kyprianou, Gogic, Ioannou; Kyriakou, Charalampous, Kousoulos; Loizou, Kastanos

Spain possible starting lineup:
Simon; Carvajal, Torres, Le Normand, Grimaldo; Merino, Rodri, Gavi; Yamal, Morata, Oyarzabal

We say: Cyprus 0-4 Spain

De la Fuente may be tempted to tinker with a winning formula on Thursday against the group's basement boys, but while first place in the section is yet to be determined, the Spain head coach ought to go strong in the hope of another Cypriot crushing.

The 4-0 scoreline certainly flattered Georgia in their recent contest with the hosts, but we can envisage an identical result in Limassol, where Spain should not suffer any similar scares en route to a seventh-straight win.


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Written by
Ben Knapton

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