Nations League: 'It has been a pity, but we must value Switzerland' - Enrique after Spain's loss

Spain suffered a narrow 1-2 defeat to Switzerland in the UEFA Nations Lague 2022-23 on Saturday. Spanish boss Luis Enrique was visibly upset but credited the Swiss for putting on a spirited show.

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The 2022-23 UEFA Nations League (UNL) keeps pulling off surprises, as Saturday saw another in the form of Switzerland upsetting Spain. Being played at the Estadio La Romareda in Zaragoza, the visitors edged past with a 2-1 win, thanks to strikes from Manuel Akanji (21) and Breel Embolo (58). At the same time, Jordi Alba (55) was the lone scorer for the hosts. As a result of this defeat, Spain is trailing by a couple of points behind group leader Portugal, heading into the last league-stage tie. Following the failure, Spanish head coach Luis Enrique was unhappy with his side's performance but credited the opponent for stealing the show.

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"Losing is always something that hurts. It has been a pity, but we must value Switzerland, which caused us many difficulties from the beginning. The first half was the worst of my time as a coach. We have badly defended the corner of their second goal. In the second half, we improved. We have tried until the end. The key game is Portugal. We will go to Braga to win," said Enrique after the flop, reports Fotmob.

However, Enrique expressed his confidence in his boys ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar in November, saying, "No doubts. It's better to go to Qatar on a winning streak, but I have complete confidence in the team. I have seen many players who have been more imprecise than ever in the first half, but the opponents are good."

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"They know how they play. But, everything doesn't always go well. When you don't have a good day, this happens. A victory against Portugal would be the perfect way to reach the World Cup. We have drawn three times with them, and now, we will go there to win," concluded Enrique.