IPSWICH town striker Pablo Counago is backing is fellow countrymen to end Spain's 44 year run without a trophy and win the European Championship final tomorrow.
Stuart Watson
IPSWICH town striker Pablo Counago is backing is fellow countrymen to end Spain's 44 year run without a trophy and win the European Championship final tomorrow.
The 27-year-old believes all the pressure will be on Germany once the two sides take to the field in Vienna and that Spain have shown far better form in the competition so far.
He said: “For Spain, the big game was Italy in the quarter-finals. We have not beaten Italy for many years and the quarter-finals has been where Spain have lost in many tournaments.
“The pressure was on the team then because everyone has been saying over the last 20 years that Spain are a good side but never get to the semi-finals or final. That would have been the same again if we had lost to Italy.
“The expectations that Spain would do well in tournaments has been there for a long time, but now the players have really achieved something. They have had a good competition and played good football.
“Getting to the final is a massive step for the national team. Back home, football gets a lot of criticism because we have not won a trophy for 44 years. We have won at basketball, handball and other sports, but not at football.
“Now the football fans have a lot to celebrate and hopefully it will be the same on Sunday against Germany.
“Germany will be the favourites. They may not play the best football in tournaments, but history shows they always get to the final or semi-finals.
“For Spain, it is new for us to be in the final but maybe this is our moment. I'm confident we can do it.”
Counago was in the Spanish team that lifted the Under-20 World Cup in 1999 alongside five of the current national side. He now believes that it could be down to some of his former midfield team mates, including Xavi, to win the game.
He said: “There is no one player that is important above the others in the Spanish side, but midfield will be vital against Germany.
“The midfield was very good against Russia and there is a good look about the team. This maybe our last year.”
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