Joselu features as Spain coast past Albania before Euro knock-outs

Real Madrid’s involvement was limited as Spain coach Luis de la Fuente opted to rest and rotate several key players for their dead rubber 1-0 win over Albania in Düsseldorf as La Roja brought a close to the group stages of Euro 2024 with first-place already secured even before kick-off courtesy of wins over Croatia and Italy.

The rotations included right-back Dani Carvajal, and De la Fuente decided not to risk Nacho Fernández, who had suffered discomfort earlier in the week. Instead, Joselu did come into the team for his first minutes of the tournament, starting as the side’s lone number nine, with Real Sociedad’s Mikel Oyarzabal, Barcelona’s Ferran Torres and RB Leipzig’s Dani Olmo operating in behind. It was the Barcelona man who scored the only goal of the game as he broke down the right flank on the counter on 13 minutes.

Coming only hours after news broke that Joselu could soon depart Real Madrid, he was given his first start in seven games for his country. In doing so, he was looking to score for Spain for the first time since November 2023, but he would eventually fail to do so.

Missing in action

This was a night to forget for the Real Madrid striker though, as he had little involvement in his 72 minutes on the field before being replaced by Atlético Madrid’s Álvaro Morata.

In total, he registered 16 touches, which did include three shots, but none were on target as he missed all three, with the closest being a left-footed effort sent wide of the post early in the second half. It was his best moment, turning to find space and reach the ball, but his only real involvement of note.

Beyond that, the 34 year old won only two of his five aerial duels in a very physical battle which he struggled to match up to. Joselu didn’t have much service coming his way, but when he did, he didn’t exactly capitalise either.

Carvajal and Nacho remained on the bench throughout, saving their efforts to face one of the qualifying third-placed teams which could include Hungary, Austria (or The Netherlands or France), or any of Romania, Belgium, Slovakia and Ukraine, with games still to be played across Groups C to F.