Lamine Yamal made his World Cup debut off the bench as Spain were held to a frustrating goalless draw by Cabo Verde. He marked his return from injury when there was doubt over his involvement.
Is Lamine Yamal expected to play for Spain tonight?
Spain are unlikely to take any unnecessary risks, but the attacking talent at Luis de la Fuente's disposal should be more than enough to break down Saudi Arabia's defence. De la Fuente has already confirmed that Yamal is not yet capable of playing a full 90 minutes, making a start something of a gamble. If Spain are still level, or worse, trailing, later in the match, they may prefer to have their most dangerous attacker available from the bench rather than being forced to substitute him early.
Many eyes will be on Yamal’s involvement, hoping he features in the game at the Atlanta Stadium, kicking off at 17:00BST.
Spain’s right-wing depth chart at the World Cup
Player | Club | Caps |
|---|---|---|
Lamine Yamal | Barcelona | 26 |
Ferran Torres | Barcelona | 58 |
Yeremy Pino | Crystal Palce | 23 |
Victor Munoz | Osasuna | 2 |
Spain are blessed with an abundance of attacking options, with Luis de la Fuente selecting a squad packed with wingers. As a result, movement across the frontline is likely to be fluid, with players regularly interchanging positions.
Ferran Torres started on the right against Cabo Verde and is the most likely candidate to be preferred to his Barcelona teammate. His experience, versatility and understanding of De la Fuente's system could give him the edge, particularly if Spain opt for continuity following their opening match.
Spain team news and predicted lineup
Spain have no fresh injury concerns, although Liverpool-bound Victor Muñoz could once again miss out due to a hamstring problem. If that is the case, Nico Williams may be introduced in place of Gavi to provide more directness and width on the flank.
Meanwhile, with Luis de la Fuente confirming that Lamine Yamal is not yet ready for a full match, either Mikel Oyarzabal or Ferran Torres could make way for the Barcelona star. A start would allow Yamal to build fitness with an hour or so on the pitch before being managed carefully in the second half.
Spain Predicted Line-up: Unai Simon; Marcos Llorente, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri, Mikel Merino; Ferran Torres, Mikel Oyazarbal, Nico Williams.
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