Spain earned their first victory of the Nations League campaign in Switzerland on Thursday, winning 1-0 courtesy of an early Pablo Sarabia goal.
Finalists in the previous edition, Spain were frustrated in a draw with Portugal and then snatched a point against the Czech Republic before heading to Stade de Geneve.
Luis Enrique's side were not entirely convincing but got their win at the third time of asking, with Switzerland unable to respond to Sarabia's 13th-minute strike.
Bigger aims are on the horizon for La Roja, yet they remain firmly in contention for another Nations League run as a result.
Early Spanish pressure told when Marcos Llorente got in behind and squared for a simple Sarabia finish, with the scorer given the benefit of the doubt following a marginal offside call and lengthy VAR review.
Switzerland's only first-half attempts were miscued headers from Breel Embolo and Eray Comert, who each might have done better, although Sarabia also passed up an opportunity for his second when he blazed over.
Chances were even more sparse into the second half, with Switzerland gaining a foothold without really threatening.
Llorente whipped a left-footed shot wide, but Sarabia had continued to be the game's most dangerous player and his withdrawal just past the hour mark teed up a low-key finale.
What does it mean? Another successful Swiss trip
The Nations League ensures Spain are regularly playing high-level opponents, but there may have been some concern if the national team went three competitive matches without a victory in a World Cup year.
A trip to Switzerland was the ideal tonic then, for Spain are now unbeaten in all of their 11 matches in the country – their best such record anywhere.
Pablo predictably pivotal
Escaping the Paris Saint-Germain bench, Sarabia enjoyed an outstanding season at Sporting CP and has also become a key figure at international level. He has scored three goals and assisted another in his past four appearances, with his nine goal involvements in the past 12 months leading all Spain players.
Llorente's involvement in the goal was perhaps a little less expected. A superb player he may be, but this was the Atletico Madrid man's second assist outside of Spain for club or country across his entire career.
Gavi given rough treatment
Barcelona teenager Gavi catches the eye every time he plays, and this match was no different in that sense, with one outrageous sequence seeing the midfield execute a 'sombrero' over Xherdan Shaqiri and then dance past Granit Xhaka.
But that piece of skill, like other rare moments of Spanish brilliance, was followed by a foul. Switzerland conceded 21 of them, including seven to poor Alvaro Morata.
What's next?
Spain get another shot at the Czech Republic, this time at home on Sunday, when Switzerland host Portugal.
Kyle Walker gives Manchester City injury scare ahead of Champions League final
Kyle Walker has given Manchester City an injury scare ahead of the Champions League final by sitting out training with a back problem.
The England right-back was not involved as the treble-chasing Premier League champions held a session open to media ahead of Saturday’s encounter with Inter Milan in Istanbul.
Walker was substituted in the last minute of City’s FA Cup final triumph over Manchester United at Wembley last weekend.
The 33-year-old was made available by the club for media commitments on Tuesday, suggesting the issue was not too serious, but manager Pep Guardiola said no chances were being taken.
“He has had a disturbance in his back,” said Guardiola at a press conference.
“Yesterday he was not good, today he was a little bit better but we didn’t want to take any risks. We will see what happens in the next days.”
City are bidding to win the Champions League for the first time in their history and complete a glorious treble after their Premier League and FA Cup successes already this season.
They are also looking to erase the memory of their painful loss to Chelsea in the final of 2021.
As three-time winners, Inter boast the greater European pedigree but City will go into the match as firm favourites against the side that finished third in Serie A this term.
Guardiola, however, insists what has happened in the past – and even current form – counts for little now.
He said: “It’s really good to travel in a few days to Istanbul. We go together and it is a dream to be here.
“Two years ago we were there but in different situations with Covid.
“We’re going to try to do our best and we know the final is how you behave in that specific 95 minutes, not history.
“For history, they are better than us but it is about what you have to do to be better than the opponent in 95 minutes.
“It doesn’t count what you have done in the group stages or the Premier League or the FA Cup. We have to be better than them.”
Guardiola is comfortable with the tag of favourites.
“We are used to it,” he said. “Why should it be more dangerous? Accept the role and go out there knowing the quality of the opponents. We accept what people say, no problem.”
City’s form in the latter part of the season, when they reeled in Arsenal to win the Premier League and powered past Bayern Munich and Real Madrid to reach this weekend’s showpiece, has been outstanding.
Guardiola acknowledges confidence is high in the City squad but insists there will be no complacency.
He said: “It is a final against a top team and we have to do it. We are confident, I’m so optimistic, but at the same time I cannot deny the quality of the opponent.
“I have never done that and especially not in the final of the Champions League.”
Halsey calls for points deductions to tackle referee abuse
Jose Mourinho's behaviour and the subsequent abuse of Anthony Taylor by Roma fans has led to former Premier League referee Mark Halsey calling for stricter punishments.
Taylor and his family were verbally and physically targeted at Budapest airport in the wake of Roma's Europa League final defeat to Sevilla.
Both teams felt aggrieved by some of Taylor's decisions in the game, but Mourinho was particularly vehement, and was filmed shouting abuse at the official long after the final whistle had blown.
Halsey was infuriated by what he saw.
"Everybody that's seen the footage or watched the game, I thought both teams' conduct with their players and the coaching staff was appalling," Halsey told Stats Perform.
"On the night I thought Anthony [Taylor] and his team had a superb game under the most difficult of circumstances. When players don't want to listen, it makes it so very difficult for the referee.
"The referee can only referee what's in front of him. If I was being ultra critical, perhaps they should have removed team officials from the bench. But having said that, I thought they were outstanding on the night.
"Obviously, the criticism of him in the car park when [Mourinho] volleyed abuse again, I think it's appalling, and Roma fans having seen that, I think that's what led to the scenes that we saw at the airport. As much as everybody loves Jose Mourinho, you cannot do that. You cannot condone these actions.
"I think in the cold light of day, when he sits back down and looks at himself and his family looks at the way he behaves, I think they will think that he deserve everything that's coming his way regarding punishments."
Now, Halsey wants governing bodies such as UEFA to crack down on the abuse by enforcing points deductions.
He continued: "That was a showcase. The Premier League, the Champions League, Europa League are watched around the world by millions and millions of people, including children.
"In England, we have a problem at a grassroots level, we have a problem with youth football, we have a problem with parents. They watch that, and think they can get away with it.
"This season we've seen over £1.5million worth of fines dished out for player and team officials' behaviour on the field of play. Out of the 92 clubs, 52 have been charged £1.5m in fines. What does that tell you? That tells you that the fines are not working.
"So we've got to start with the points deduction right at the very top. In fact, that goes for if you're playing the Champions League.
"If Roma are in the Europa League next season, and Sevilla are in the Champions League, they've got to start with a points deduction. [They've] got to hit the clubs in the pocket, and take the points away.
"Those points could stop them qualifying for the knockout stages. They've really got to come down hard on them."
As for Mourinho, Halsey hopes the Roma boss faces a significant punishment.
He said: "I just think it was absolutely appalling. I've never seen a game like that and a referee treated like that anywhere.
"Even in my time as an official, I never ever got treatment like that, and I refereed all over the world. That's why I think that UEFA has got to come down extremely hard on Roma and José as well as Sevilla for their behaviour on the field of play."
Kyle Walker misses Man City training ahead of CL final due to back niggle
Kyle Walker was not involved as Manchester City held an open training session on Tuesday ahead of the Champions League final.
The England full-back was substituted in the latter stages of City’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester United at Wembley on Saturday.
All other players were present as City continued preparations for the encounter with Inter Milan in Istanbul this weekend.
Pep Guardiola said at a press conference later in the afternoon that Walker had sat out the session to avoid aggravating a back problem.
The City boss said: “He has had a little bit of a disturbance in his back.
“Yesterday he was not good, today he was a little bit better but we didn’t want to take any risks. We will see in the next days.”
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