World Cup qualifiers: Luis Enrique calls on fans to help encourage Spain to qualify

Spanish coach Luis Enrique shouted at his fans ahead of the decisive World Cup qualifier against Sweden, and called on them to follow the team in Sunday’s match in Seville despite things not going as planned.

La Roja needs a point from their clash with Sweden to finish first in Group B and will play in front of 60,000 fans at La Cartuja Stadium.

“I have no doubt that with a full stadium in our favor they will be weaker, and we will be stronger,” Luis Enrique said at a press conference on Saturday.

“Now we need our fans to be on our side throughout the game, even if they fight. Because it’s going to be a very difficult game.”

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After a 1-0 win over Greece in Greece and an unexpected 2-0 defeat to Georgia on Thursday in Sweden, Spain are top of Group B with 16 points, beating Sweden by more than one, which they need to win to secure an automatic standings.

The runner-up will enter the playoffs in March.

“The pressure is the same as it was before Greece,” Enrique said.

“Our goal is still the same: to win two games … We will enter the field with an aggressive mentality to win on Sunday. We will play to win, no matter what the numbers say.”

The coach hopes that Sweden will look to meet his defense and play against Spain and that he wants his team to be more clinical.

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There are doubts about Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s usefulness in Sweden after recent injury problems, but Luis Enrique said his opponent’s game plan would not depend on the striker’s situation.

“We deserved to win against them in Sweden, but there is no meritocracy in football,” Luis Enrique said.

“The merit is to score goals and we have to do that. They have a lot of speed beforehand and whether or not Zlatan plays will not make his game plan. But of course, having a player with his profile is a big boost for quality for any team.”