“I’m an admirer of Cristiano Ronaldo, he’s a model of values” – Spain manager Luis de la Fuente

“We’ll see how the match goes; that will determine whether he gets minutes or not. We’ll consider what’s best for both the team and him. He could play, bearing in mind the limitations of coming back from an injury and a layoff, but coming on in a match that’s going smoothly is different from one that’s an uphill battle. We’ll see. You might have a plan, but football has a way of taking you in different directions, it’s like the sea. We’ll see about both him and Víctor; we’ll know more tomorrow.”

Before de la Fuente’s presser, the headline news was the decision of FIFA to suspend Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension, allowing him to play against Belgium. He was asked for his thoughts on an unprecedented decision.

“I do not know what reasons led FIFA to make that decision. I cannot offer an opinion on the matter,” he commented, giving little away.